Review: Blown Out - Jet Black Hallucinations

In the future, when we reflect upon the pantheon of musical gods, one name should be writ large - Mike Vest. In just the last year or so he has given us BONG's 'Stoner Rock' (surely their best LP?),11Paranoias' 'Stealing Fire From Heaven', Haikai No Ku's stunning 'Ultra High Dimensionality' and Blown Out's 'Drifting Way out Between Suns' - equally as stunning. Not content with that, here comes a new one from Blown Out...and, stand by your beds.....it...is...FUCKIN' AWESOME!!! I apologise to anyone of a sensitive nature, but occasionally there are times when the only way to express a sentiment is by dropping the F-bomb.

In Blown Out the aforementioned Mr Vest is joined by John-Michael Hedley (bass) and Matt Baty (drums) from Newcastle noiseniks Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, who released that fab split 12" with The Cosmic Dead a couple of years ago and more recently 'Psychopomp,also well worth checking out. Together they have become a Jimi Hendrix Experience for the 21st century (I know, I know - lazy comparison!)- Vest's guitar artistry more than ably complemented by Hedley's bass and Baty's sticks ala Redding and Mitchell.

Musically this is 40 minutes, split over 3 tracks, of mind-bending and bowel-loosening psych jamming. The nearest equivalent off the top of my head are Acid Mothers Temple (bless 'em), but whilst AMT are freeform, loose and ,frankly, mad, Blown out are tight and in perfect control of proceedings. The album is based on repetition - with the relentless, throbbing bass and the motor-driven drums - but this does not equal boring..au contraire...the subtle changes in the echo-soaked, wah-wah laden guitar keep one focused on the sheer scope of this recording and the outstanding artistry of the members. For something so powerful, so immense, it has a very relaxing effect....a psychedelic, lysergic romp thru' the stars with a band who know exactly how to encapsulate the vastness of the cosmos into one superb freakout of a recording. Best listened to on headphones in a darkened room with your medicine of choice!

This is without doubt my favourite LP of the year so far...and it is been an awesome year already (Anthroprophh, YSNBWATID etc)...the benchmark has been set very high for 2015...it's gonna be great!

'Jet Black Hallucinations' is released on 23rd March but preorders are open now at Golden Mantra .