Bigger and bolder is not always the immediate path to success or even the best. Oftentimes, a little bit of pull-back can result in a tremendous experience in the world of music where many would expect an explosive expansiveness with many seeking the other route for a dreamier, more ethereal route that takes the listeners to worlds that have yet to be uncovered by anyone other than those who crafted it. Nowhere else in any other style is that more prevalent than in the world of modern heavy reaches of psychedelic rock. While I’ll always love some massive riffs paired with decent use of psychedelia, slowing things right on down and putting forth a calculated experience shows another side to the style that I don’t think is as popular as it should be. Plenty of bands like Black Space Riders have damn near perfected such art with many right on their heels to deliver works of their own magnificence, and Pelegrin effortlessly earns the right to be called one of the best when it comes to such contenders.
Creations like this are what really feels like the perfect result of what’s been happening in the current state of psychedelic rock given all the amazing talent that has been culminating the scene across the world for years now with the younger generations feeding off of that very excellence. It would be a shame to call bands like Pelegrin a mere product of their influences because they are so much more in virtually every form with albums like “Ways of Avicenna” the stroke of genius that begs one to ponder if Pelegrin is one that can become one of the new faces of those rising through the ranks of the world of psychedelic rock. Far from a bombastic record that is in your face with the particular focus being on the heavier aspects of the genre, “Ways of Avicenna” is what it means to really put the emphasis on the psychedelic aspects of the sound with it sounding like Pelegrin has taken a page from the likes of Naxatras, My Sleeping Karma, and Elder to make their own effort dreamlike in every way while still managing to find enough room for riffs undeniable. To lose yourself in this record is to eventually come to the realization that Pelegrin can more than easily walk the walk with all that they’re able to bring to the table much of what many throughout the world of psychedelic rock try to summon yet few are able to in any form whatsoever. This is ethereal rock with a clear Middle Eastern influence in its DNA with poignant and captivating themes to match with it all coming together gorgeously to really make “Ways of Avicenna” a record that demands respect and adoration from the scene at large for all that it is with the future looking tremendously bright for Pelegrin.
I’ve never had any doubt about the very future of psychedelic rock given all the wondrous talent that is out there for us to gobble right up at any given time, and Pelegrin simply must be considered as one of the more fascinating acts that still have so much promise to capitalize on. They killed it with their debut and it’s with “Ways of Avicenna” that the very name of Pelegrin should be on the lips of those who consider themselves fans of the style for all that’s brought forth here can’t be considered as anything less than what many of us are constantly searching for.
“Ways of Avicenna” releases on February 17th!
LISTEN to an advanced track from “Ways of Avicenna” on Bandcamp here or via YouTube below.
LIKE Pelegrin on Facebook here.
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