They Watch Us From The Moon: “Cosmic Chronicles, Act I: The Ascension” (2023) – Album Review

Summary

Cosmic Chronicles, Act I: The Ascension is a doom metal-infused Laser Floyd for the mind’s eye, a disarmingly melodic and riff-driven take on heavy psychedelia that blasts off into a wholly-other sonic cosmos.

Album Info

Hot-Take Review

It would have to take a severe act of God (or any other God-like proclivities) to deter me from sampling a band with the nomenclatural cachet of They Watch Us From The Moon. Especially with an album cover evoking Jean Giraud at his cosmic best.

Additionally, this heavy psychedelic doom metal six-piece from Lawrence, Kansas, notably fronted by two women vocalists (Luna Nemeses and Nova 1001001), wastes no time with pointless conceptual meanderings; their 2023 debut album Cosmic Chronicles, Act I: The Ascension, a cosmic hootenanny of sci-fi doom metal, hits immediately with comic book derring-do and cinematic bravado.

Or as Nova put it herself:

“THEY are an ancient alien race that has been on the moon unbeknownst to humankind. The storyline goes that the band triggered ancient alien technology hidden in a pyramid whilst giving a performance there and got beamed up to the moon, where they were then enslaved by the aliens to be their performers. You’ll have to read the comics to see where it goes from there, but that’s enough to show THEY most certainly don’t come in peace.”

Van Nieuwenhiven, H. (n.d.). They Watch Us From The Moon. Female Fronted Power. Retrieved June 13, 2023, from https://www.femalefrontedpower.com/interviews/interview-they-watch-us-from-the-moon/

Yes, a comic is forthcoming, drawn by album cover artist Rick Lara. And while your humble Park Ranger is a dyed-in-the-wool metal, comics, and sci-fi nerd (and as such, this is pure wheelhouse central), it yet begs the question: what does that mean in terms of the music? Is it any good? Worth your time and shekels?

I mean, the short answer is heck freakin’ gosh yeah. Why else would I be reviewing it otherwise? Gentle readers, you can take a gander at “On The Fields Of The Moon”, the album’s opening track, right here:

This is thick, sludgy, glorious doom metal down to its innermost parts, enveloped by a shroud of ominous atmospherics counterbalanced by engaging vocal harmonies. Middle-Eastern tonalities evoke a sense of exotic antiquity, as if an ancient pyramid is awakening. Oh, and also powering up its fourth-dimensional generators in a musical delivery of the unfolding sojourn.

Or whatever. If you bypass the story, the costumes, the graphic novel tropes and mythos and other such mishegas, you are still left with a strong metal sucker-punch to the malocchio. These riffs are thick, muscular, earworming, and omnipresently prolonged throughout the record.

“Omnipresently prolonged throughout the record” does seem like a high-falutin’ way of saying “repetitive as hell”. Assuredly, that may seem like a valid criticism if you don’t subscribe to the tenets of the genre. But then, psychedelic doom metal is not symphonic prog by any means. Cosmic Chronicles, Act I: The Ascension engages entirely in an atmospheric sonic tableau, generating mood, and tension via distorted evocations of a thrillingly zany sci-fi romp.

As such, these Big Badass Riffs succeed in being both arresting and contemplative all at once. Kind of like a Tarkovsky film, but with more aliens, spaceships, and distortion pedals, and fewer endless driving scenes though 1970s Russian highways.

In other words, the album knows its lane and pretty much stays there. Of course, it’s a mighty fun lane in which to travel.

Musically, you can’t deny the Black Sabbath connection; there’s a love of the Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage era that is inescapable, but there are also touches of Hawkwind, The Sword, Pink Floyd (especially on the epic “Creeper AD”), and dare I say Mary’s Danish? Does anyone else remember Mary’s Danish? Ye gods I’m showing my age here.

The entire album maintains a similar vibe throughout its runtime, but the near 11-minute closer “Return To Earth” is a major standout. With vocal performances at their most imaginatively developed, the band also steps up their instrumental work with their lushest and most fully layered piece on the album. As such, the tune’s anthemic qualities works entirely to the album’s favor as well, providing an atmospherically explosive finale to the entire affair… or at least, for now. The story must continue.

Cosmic Chronicles, Act I: The Ascension is a doom metal-infused Laser Floyd for the mind’s eye, a disarmingly melodic and riff-driven take on heavy psychedelia that blasts off into a wholly-other sonic cosmos. Bring on Act II.

What similar albums does ChatGPT recommend?

While it behooves me to remind my readers that everything you just read is 100% Mills, let’s ask our friendly neighborhood AI for some similar album recommendations.

1. The Sword – “Warp Riders” (2010): This album by The Sword blends heavy metal with psychedelic rock and weaves it all into a spacey, science-fiction narrative. It’s a good next step for fans of heavy psychedelia with a sci-fi theme.
   
2. Electric Wizard – “Witchcult Today” (2007): A staple in the modern doom metal genre, Electric Wizard’s album “Witchcult Today” is a collection of sludgy, distorted riffs and atmospheric vocals, perfect for fans of heavier psychedelic music.
   
3. Hawkwind – “The Machine Stops” (2016): Hawkwind, while being an older band, is still making relevant music. This album, inspired by E.M. Forster’s science fiction story, might appeal to fans of the narrative aspect of “They Watch Us From The Moon.”
   
4. Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats – “Blood Lust” (2011): This album is an excellent showcase of psychedelia-infused doom metal, complete with haunting vocals and dark, retro-inspired riffs.
   
5. Mastodon – “Crack the Skye” (2009): This album is a bit more on the progressive metal side, but the complex narrative, heavy riffs, and psychedelic overtones might appeal to fans of “They Watch Us From The Moon.” The band’s exploration of metaphysical themes is also reminiscent of the cosmic, alien themes found in “They Watch Us From The Moon.”

Output from ChatGPT, OpenAI to Mills, 13 June 2023.