GREENLEAF - Echoes From A Mass (LP)

Like clockwork, Swedish stoner rockers Greenleaf spread their concentrated sludgy energy to disciples of the genre with the release of Echoes From A Mass, the successor to their 2018 epic, Hear The Rivers. Opener, "Tides", immediately draws the listener into a swirl of guitar driven soundscapes, while Arvid HõllagÕrd's remarkable voice merges with hypnotizing background vocals, ceremonially inviting the listener into a heavy reverie. Floating hypnotic grooves set the stage for the compelling yet chilling "Needle In My Eye" û with its incisive, driving drums and roaring riffs, the record's third song accumulates piece by piece into a modern rock standout, taking the mind by storm. "Love Undone" breaks in with Tommi Holappa's acclaimed, blistering guitar riffs that will keep the listener moving to the mesmerizing, distinctive sonic layers of Greenleaf. The bluesy mid-tempo track "Bury Me My Son" digs deep with its poignant lyrics and an extensive, grooving bass solo, reminiscent of their roots in the Dozer days. With "March On Higher Grounds," the Swedes deliver a dusting of desert-vibes, merging into a truly catchy refrain, while closer "What Have We Become" offers a hallucinatory realm of calmness, setting a bold exclamation mark at the album's epic end.