After a band makes a shift that can only be considered dramatic, it’s really anybody’s guess as to what else that band would bring upon their return be it a few days, months, or years after debuting that very change. When I returned to Merlock three years ago to witness their entrance into real, proper heaviness that was much more doom-oriented than when I first discovered the band, I was pleasantly surprised by what greeted me. It was a welcome change that I felt fit the band almost too well with their particular approach only complimented by the new heaviness. I had no idea what direction the band would go on a follow-up, and it’s now that such an occasion is upon me I’m more than pleased to see they’ve doubled down on the path they first walked three years ago with “You Cannot Be Saved”.

It’s one thing to lean into a particular aspect of your sound and hope it all works out in the end, but it’s another to utterly dominate it and truly maximize any and all potential there is to be had such that your next release is an undeniable showcase of how deadly you’ve become in that craft. For Merlock, that couldn’t be anymore the truth when considering their particular brand of psychedelic heaviness with the six tracks of “Onward Strides Colossus” is but a furthering of its predecessor as this is far more than a mere collection of fuzz-out riffage that stands to be an interesting treat at times. Rather, Merlock goes out of its way to ensure that this album is a captivating experience with several deep layers that are to be discovered within this creation as “Onward Strides Colossus” doesn’t seek to be a simple sequel to its predecessor but a creation that stands tall all on its own with all the power, tenacity, and talent that one could ask for. Alongside dramatic themes that work both as a tremendous backdrop for the album as well as an allegory for the band’s experiences up to now, there is real depth and passion to all that has gone into “Onward Strides Colossus” such that you can feel is all pouring out in every given moment of the record as Merlock not only makes what can easily be argued as their best work to date but one that should not be missed by anyone who finds themselves to be even mild fans of heaviness with the psychedelia more than enough to entice the curious and adventurous.

The rise of Merlock is something that I find endlessly fascinating considering where the band started off, and it has been a tremendous journey to follow them up to this point with these six tracks very much feeling like a reward of sorts for sticking with the act since the beginning in order to see them go through a metamorphosis into the massive beast it is now. All that has been brought forth for “Onward Strides Colossus” has more than enough to win the attention and respect of those who lose themselves in its world with it having more than enough to keep you entranced for one spin of the record after another.

“Onward Strides Colossus” releases on February 24th!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Onward Strides Colossus” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Merlock on Facebook here.