Band: Mirkwood Spiders | Album: The Black Mountain Ritual | Genre: Heavy psych, Stoner metal, Progressive rock | Year: 2025
From: Chur, Switzerland | Label: Independent
For fans of: King Gizzard, Garcia Peoples, Stoned Jesus, Witch Ripper
Mirkwood Spiders is a Swiss band that continues in the proud tradition of bands like King Gizzard and (sometimes) Stoned Jesus. Fuzz-drenched, occasionally-bluesy psychedelia swirls and storms as this four-piece weaves their magic.
“Little Stone” sets a hypnotic mood to kick things off. Anxious guitars and harmonized vocals swirl, eventually blossoming into something more enveloping. Flowing from that psychedelic opener is the bluesy “The Dragon Song”. The vocal line has a ritualistic feel, though still carrying plenty of blues DNA. The band does a great job at painting the image of summoning a dragon from this record’s titular black mountain. The final 90 seconds of the song feature some very exciting instrumental passages.
Further blues touches are evident in “To All the Sad Kids”. The vocal arrangements are wonderful here, evoking some of Steven Wilson’s best work on songs like “Mellotron Scratch”. The second half of this song goes on for a hair longer than it needs to, but it’s a solid enough groove that I can’t fault the band too harshly for having fun with it.
“Necromancer” is the most metallic cut yet, featuring chugging guitars and howled vocals. Entering its midsection, things quiet down, and flourishes of folk rock and blues emerge. This helps to elevate it, adding a strong sense of artfulness. There’s a passage where taut acoustic guitar takes the lead that reminds me of “Welcome to the Machine”, and I love that contrast with the surrounding heaviness.
Up next is “Chakra”, a lovely little acoustic interlude reminiscent of compositions by Steve Howe and Steve Hackett; and following that is “Chakra (For Now)”. Folky guitar and mournful vocals remind me of some of Panopticon’s acoustic work. It remains rather subdued for its runtime, and it’s a nice contrast to the fuzziness found elsewhere on this album.
The Black Mountain Ritual’s title track is next. Immediately, there’s an ominous sense of urgency. The guitars bite and snarl, and the vocals are powerful. Melodies are inventive and original; and the instrumental back is constantly churning and twisting, keeping the listener on edge. Alt-metal touches creep in near the song’s finale, as well as some unexpected (but very welcome) jazz flourishes.
Concluding this album is the 12-minute “City of Titans”. The band’s stoner roots are on plain display here, but it’s mixed with an occultic, psychedelic atmosphere. Middle Eastern-tinged guitar noodling helps add to this mystical mood. As this song builds, the drumming is especially impressive and complex; and vocalist Sebastian Boner channels classic Ozzy Osbourne in some of his wailing. This epic makes an indefatigable march toward its climax.
Blending stonery, psychedelic semimetal with progressive rock is not a new idea, nor is it even particularly uncommon. But where Mirkwood Spiders excel is infusing an undeniable and energetic inventiveness into their music. Their character is unique, and The Black Mountain Ritual is a fun record.
Score: 82/100
The Elite Extremophile 