Ecstatic Vision - 'Sonic Praise' (Album Review)

‘Like Sleep jamming with The Heads whilst Dave Wyndorf tempts you to join him on the ride of your life’

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 26/06/2015

Label: Relapse Records

‘Sonic Praise’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Journey
2). Astral Plane
3). Don't Kill The Vibe
4). Sonic Praise
5). Cross The Divide

Ecstatic Vision:

Doug Sabolick | Guitars / B3 / Vox
Michael Field Connor | Bass
Jordan Crouse | Drums / Percussion 

Review:

Philadelphia trio Ecstatic Vision claim they got together in order to "play what they wanted to hear". After listening to “Sonic Praise”, it seems they wanted to hear heavy, mind-altering psychedelic rock of the highest order, which is fine by me.

The band combine hypnotic krautrock grooves, scuzzy garage rock and fuzzed-out stoner rock to devastating effect across the five tracks on offer here. “Journey” kicks things off in fine style, like Sleep jamming with The Heads whilst Dave Wyndorf tempts you to join him on the ride of your life.  Douglas Sabolick’s vocals are a key element of Ecstatic Vision’s sound. The relentless cosmic repetition of the music is enough to transport you to a higher plane, but it’s the shamanic vocals that convince you that there is nothing cooler than following the band on their voyage into oblivion. 

Another key element of the band’s sound is their rock-solid rhythm section. Every song is based on minimal bass and drum patterns which, once locked in, seem to drive on to infinity, raising the intensity of the guitars and vocals around them. This is particularly evident on epic album highlight “Astral Plain” as riffs ebb and flow before building to one last freak-out with added wailing sax. As the album progresses, the bands attack seems to tighten. The final track “Cross The Divide” is focused around a single chord but still reaps maximum rewards.

“Sonic Praise” is an impressive debut from Ecstatic Vision that should have a broad appeal to fans of heavy riffage, blissed-out psych rock, hip-shaking rock’n’roll and everything in between.

Words by: Charlie Butler

‘Sonic Praise’ is available here

For more information:

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Photos: Ecstatic Vision on Instagram
Listen: Ecstatic Vision on Bandcamp