Has it really been a decade since the occult rock revival? It doesn’t feel like it, but roughly 10 years ago, as I was navigating my way through the heavy metal and hard rock underground, bands like Ghost, The Devil’s Blood, and In Solitude were all the rage within hipster circles. Another band who briefly caught this crowd’s attention was Jess and the Ancient Ones. Their self titled debut gained such traction that it earned them an opening spot on King Diamond’s 2014 comeback tour. Things were really looking up. And then, like practically every other occult rock revival band, they disappeared.
Now when I say Jess and the Ancient Ones “disappeared”, I don’t mean they literally disappeared. They and their brand of psychedelic hard rock just lost the attention of your everyday bearded gentrifier, who has since moved on to “old school death metal” and whatever brand of stoner/doom is popular these days. It’s too bad because they’ve continued to make some pretty enjoyable music. Much like contemporaries Lucifer, the occult themes play less of a role with each subsequent release, but that isn’t to undermine the music on their fourth album, Vertigo.
The album opens with the menacing “Burning of the Velvet Fires”, which tows the line between Woodstock era flower power and early 70s metal. Take the dark, acid drenched riffs of Blue Öyster Cult, the commanding vocals of Grace Slick, and an all around unsettling atmosphere and boom: You’ve got a molten hot slab of proto-metal magick. “World Paranormal” showcases the opposite side of Jess and the Ancient Ones’ sonic palette. On this subdued number, focus is put on the vocals and keys, reminiscent of pop era Coven. It’s polished enough for AM radio airplay, yet edgy enough to appeal to the core audience of headbangers.
Throughout the course of Vertigo, Jess and the Ancient Ones leave no retro rock stone unturned. “Love Zombi” lives up to its name: a psychedelic jam with Carlos Santana flavored leads. “Born to Kill” boasts a powerhouse vocal performance from Jess over mesmerizing late 60s melodies. My choice cut, “Sumer Tripping Man”, is a fast and frantic unholy marriage of Sabbathian riffs and Purple-esque organs. Closing it all out is the 11 minute “Strange Earth Illusion”. Despite being an earnest attempt at a psych prog epic, I don’t think it was the wisest decision to include this as a finale. The musicianship is there, but the memorability not so much.
Aside from a final misstep in “Strange Earth Illusion”, Vertigo is yet another strong entry in the Jess and the Ancient Ones catalog. It’s a musical exercise in balancing good and evil, darkness and light, vice and virtue. Hell knows it’s far more convincing than the latest Greta Van Zeppelin album. This summer, as you turn on, tune in, and drop out, be sure to have Vertigo playing at maximum volume. And beware of the brown acid, man!
7 out of 10
Label: Svart Records
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: Lucifer, Ghost, Blue Öyster Cult