Pariahlord – Vultures

Even as I find myself looking forward to the new year to see what is possible, the glory of 2022 is still finding a way to keep me back in the previous year with all that it still has to offer amongst its absolute ocean of fascinating releases. Above all else, the worlds of stoner, psychedelic, and heavy rock were bountiful for me last year in every aspect, and it’s clear that there is still more for me to uncover and come upon should I simply keep my eyes peeled and my ears open. Case and point, Pariahlord whose latest album I’m surprised not to have heard before given its quality and clear infectious nature should have taken quite a swathe of the scene like wildfire in any other year that wasn’t overflowing with massive talent. But, that’s hardly an excuse to deny this record its due.

Already, it’s hard to look back upon what 2022 brought before us in any and all the realms of what can be considered heavy rock, stoner, heavy psych, or whatever you feel like calling it and not feel as though we were really blessed. There were plenty of albums that came out that we will be talking about years from now with Pariahlord not far behind in those conversations given what they were able to summon forth in order to make “Vultures” a potent effort in even its smallest moments. No frills or fancy bits to be had for the virtual entirety of this album, Pariahlord has made a record the likes of which should be far more than enough to scratch any sort of itch that one may have for eclectic stoner metal that knows precisely how to execute itself in exquisite fashion while never once feeling like a cheap copy. Riffs around practically every corner with the energy to match each opportunity, “Vultures” is what stoner metal is meant to be.

The sort of excellence that’s just as gripping as it is straight fun to listen to, it’s hard to listen to “Vultures” and not feel as though clear success has been achieved here. Pariahlord may not be the first name that many think of when we talk about the excellence of this kind in 2022, but it’s in every way that “Vultures” has more than earned the right to be part of the conversation.

LISTEN to “Vultures” on Spotify here.

LIKE Pariahlord on Facebook here.