Review Summary: Psychedelic desert rock that aims to please.
Psychedelic music is one of the most explored genres in existence. There has to be literally hundreds if not thousands of groups/individuals involved in the movement; testing and creating formulas of sound as if it were a scientific experiment on the human brain. Although many individuals have differences in tastes and ultimately enjoyability is in the hands of the listener, there seems to be some common threads of universality in appearances. For instance, a majority of individuals enjoy or appreciate the work of Ludwig Van Beethoven, children seem to dance more when they hear the happy bass lines from a reggae band, and many go to music schools to learn theory and composition which is widely considered to be the inlet for creating “good” music. So what do these thoughts have to do with “Burning Circles in the Sky”? Well
The Myrrors seem to have found some solid formulas that almost anyone could appreciate or enjoy. They prefer to use basic concepts like minimalistic chords and patterns but layer and arrange them in a way that most would consider suitable.
This five track debut LP thrives off a desert-rock feel; a landscape that really encompasses the mood “Burning Circles in the Sky” attempts to display. During the title track we can hear vocalist/guitarist Nik Rayne utilizing exotic guitar chords that feels like the blazing heat of the deserts sun. His reverb laced leads are likened to dehydrating delirium. The walking bass lines of Christopher Safi are endless and constant like the journey it would take to cross all the sand dunes of the world. Grant Beyshau’s drums, coupled with tambourine on high hat, are entrancing like the spectacle of a tiresome barren land. Taking advantage of this slow paced ethereal discharge,
The Myrrors succeed in a myriad of ways. The intro track “Warpainting” works off a recurring theme that is ear catching and extremely smooth and psychedelic. The blend of repeating tribal-like drum patterns, harmonizing leads, and synth layers coalesce into a single environment of celestial bliss. The soft-mellow hymns of Rayne add just that extra spark of variance that many of the tracks need.
Many of the tracks on “Burning circles in the Sky” blend well into each other, yet each track contains its own distinctive qualities; like “The Mind’s Eye” is more of an upbeat psychedelic rock track whereas “Plateau Skull” has more of an indie rock feel to it. “Burning circles in the Sky” is a perfect precursor to the sixteen minute finale “Mother of All Living” where a recurring theme of mid paced tempo rock is dropped into a minimal ambient build up that serves as the bridge between the meat of the two tracks. The creative and cohesive songwriting abilities of
The Myrrors is superb. The concluding-lengthy “Mother of All Living” is the ultimate feat of emotional psychedelia. The sixteen minute length really issues forth an adequate time length to allow all of the albums elements to nestle into one harmonious brigade. All previous elements and formulas are slowly built up in a crescendo-like effect until just before the mid-way point. From here we are given a nice breath of fresh air as the mood changes off a catchy piano riff, then back into a mellow atmosphere that is lead by Rayne’s guitar easy-going solo. The album and track ends with the sounds of crickets as the feel of a distant sun goes down into the horizons glaze. As the rock music fades out the crickets fade in and all we are left with is a solid ending minute of ambient chirps.
The Myrrors have left a nice psychedelic mark in the stream of things with their debut release. Unfortunately the band is no longer together as its band members decided to part ways after “Burning Circles in the Sky”. Why they decided to leave, what could have grown into a marvelous discography, is besides me but yeah life gets in the way sometimes. Regardless of where they are now they have without a doubt left music pursuers with a gem that is none other than “Burning Circles in the Sky”.
