Ecstatic Vision - Sonic Praise
Sonic Praise is one of the more batshit records I've listened to all year. It's this great mix of heavy metal riffs and 90s indie rock noise. Add to that psychedelia and African rhythms, and it's one of the most unique hard rock albums in years. Ecstatic Vision formed just last year in Philadelphia. At a time when most new bands are just finding their legs and sound, they signed to Relapse Records and already have a legendary live show. The album opener, "Journey," isn't the best song on the album by far. I might have dismissed them based on just that song, but "Astral Plane" is fantastic. It's heavy as hell, funky, and just all around crazy. It goes on for 12 minutes, with a driving beat, rock riffs, horns, and just keeps changing throughout the entire run. For such a young band to have such a fleshed out sound that is so unique while it is completely accessible to both metalheads and indie fans, it's pretty great. You could even giv...