Big, bold, and bodacious (Apologies, coming down from a recent Bill & Ted’s… kick), Zyclops’ new monstrous opus (Instead of “magnum” opus, get it?) is just the kind of epic 2020 needs. Like a mythical beast, Inheritance Of Ash is mysterious and majestic while also dense and delightful and definitely demanding our your attention.
“Ghost” is every bit as magical as it is monolithic, humming with a restrained complexity to start whilst continually building and building towards several ferocious peaks along its’ opening swath of sonic destruction. Fits of uncontrollable body sways await you upon pressing “play” with this followed by headbanging once the explosion happens at the two minute mark which brings to mind Isis with the initial climb but ultimately transcends that legendary outfit the moment Ryan Pankratz opens his maw to unleash a unique voice to lead the equally unique and unquestionably heavy crushing sounds.
Listening to “Rope” is a sublime experience with these tribal drums from Matt Moulis setting the tone as Ed Davis’ bass melody playfully makes its’ way around hypnotic guitar lines with Pankratz’s voice echoing on, straining out some passionate passion. If Kyuss’ Sky Valley and Mastodon’s Leviathan had a love child, it might sound like this lurching, chugging beastie filled with all of the nasty sounding riffage your little earholes can take in one sitting.
“Wind” is kind of apocalyptical yet uplifting. Akin to being in the heart of a sonic storm and looking out to see the maelstrom spiraling out of control all around but within the eye, everything is zen. “Ash” closes out Inheritance Of Ash unsuspectingly before lunging at listeners when they least expect it like this massive megalodon made of megaherz erupting from the deep. Cory Brim and Pankratz’s guitars are like pieces of a puzzle here, filling in the spaces intricately while ferocious screams and an aural throttling the likes of which you’ve never heard rages on. That sounds pretty intense, yeah? That’s because it is! A proper sonic walloping to finish a proper album off right!
Inheritance Of Ash is available now and can be yours by clicking here or on the link below. For more on Zyclops, check them out across the interwebs by clicking here or here.