The Warlocks – Skull Worship

PSYCH! As the drone signal lights up the night sky, it seems all manner of dark adventurers have heeded its call. The Warlocks’ cosmic soundscapes felt curiously out of place during their first flush of acclaim, during the retrospectively-underwhelming ‘New Rock Revolution‘, but they’ve clearly kept one eye on the success of Tame Impala and scuzzier acts like Hookworms. The time is indubitably ripe for their return.

Skull Worship sees the LA noisemakers sleeker and more narcotically sublime than ever, especially on the fugged-over menace of opener Dead Generations. Bobby Hecksher’s vocals are still halfway between zoned-out and full-on psychotic, while the band are at their best when conjuring up doomed laments like Silver & Plastic. Long notes hang ponderously and mournfully over solemn strums – new moods and textures for The Warlocks, which happily means new thrills for the rest of us. File alongside Dead Meadow: veterans in serious need of rediscovery. [Will Fitzpatrick]