It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the sheer number of rising acts that are soaring through the rock underground is beyond count by all means. No matter where you look, no matter from what direction, no matter the style, and no matter how ignorant you may claim to be of it all, there is nothing quite like being a modern rock purveyor given all that there is for us to lap up at any given time. We’ve been well past the point that we can’t keep up with it all as many names tragically slip through the cracks to become true treasures whose time in the light has not yet come. For Duskwood, however, their undeniable rise has been met with well-earned celebration as their brand of trippy, hook-filled rock can’t be seen as anything less than a ferociously good time. And now, with their new opus, they’re looking to raise the bar.

Normally, when one thinks of desert rock in terms of scenery it tends to be of… the desert. That doesn’t mean we can’t take those glorious riffs to brand new heights across unexplored frontiers with Duskwood having become renowned for their interstellar riffage on a grand scale that is nigh on undeniable in virtually every capacity without exception, and the prospect of more from the group has been a subject of immense speculation from what I can tell. It’s been three years since we last heard from Duskwood with a brief EP, but it is here with “The Last Voyage” that we get an effort that is as expansive, hard-hitting, and captivating as we could ask for. Compromised of eight intoxicating tracks are absolutely overflowing with massive energy and a tremendous sense of what it means to keep the listener invested, “The Last Voyage” is a work that any fan of rock with plenty of trippiness without being too overbearing should immediately become lost in. Duskwood did not need to prove themselves with this release, but they pull out all the stops as if this was their own last voyage, and if it is then I don’t think we could have asked for a better note to leave off on. This is what it means to take intoxication into the aural form as every minute here proves to be the most mature work from Duskwood yet by a country mile as the listener is only pulled further into the journey that Duskwood finds itself on throughout the whole of “The Last Voyage” as nothing stands in their way and the twinkling stars are the final goal before this act ever truly comes to a proper finish. Even then, I’ve no doubt there will be more stories to tell.

There are more than a few places out there that love to throw around the phrase “highly anticipated” whenever it comes to material that they’re trying to promote as it really grabs the attention and makes you think, sometimes tricks, that the piece they’re trying to promote has a truly ravenous and eagerly awaiting fanbase with only unmitigated success the possibility following the release. Truly, only bands like Duskwood are worthy of being deemed highly anticipated for the rise of the name has made quite a stir whenever they do come around, and I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that “The Last Voyage” is going to cause far more than just a stir once it makes impact. I suggest you don’t miss it.

“The Last Voyage” releases on May 12th via Ripple Music!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “The Last Voyage” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Duskwood on Facebook here.