Without so much as giving it a second thought, I truly believe that we’re living in an age where all things stoner related music have never been better. Sure, it’s easy to look back on the great records of the past and long for those days when we didn’t know what was right around the corner, but the very tenacity, power, and diversity that’s to be found throughout the scene today is better now than it has ever been by far to my eyes. From those veterans that still manage to impress to newcomers sprouting from the woodwork to show us what they’re made of, we truly have the pick of the litter with what kind of glory we want to take part in. Despite being early on in their tenure, The Big Rip is quickly making itself known as a name that is not to be underestimated.

A common trap that many new names in this particular corner of rock tend to find themselves falling into is the simple matter of repetition. Whether it’s the mere tweaking of what’s come before to outright copy-and-paste records, personality is something that you really need in order to make your presence felt in this scene where even the most promising of acts can sink to the bottom should their passions and energy not be made known right out the gate. For their newest creation, The Big Rip had no problem with that. Every inch of these four tracks reminds me of how I felt when I first came across the likes of Psychlona: an act that’s viciously loyal to their sound but laying the foundation to sprout forth as an entity that shows us what the style is still more than capable of delivering. From the riffs to the ethereal nature of the album, “Goatlord” accomplishes much despite being quite short with a runtime that doesn’t even exceed 15 minutes whereas many contemporary names at this stage in their runs not being able to come close to what The Big Rip has put together. Engaging right from the beginning and following up on all the promises that we could have hoped for before diving in, there’s still more than enough room for growth and improvement but one cannot deny the extent to how wondrous “Goatlord” is right unto its final notes.

Between the fuzz, the melodies, and the calculated intensity, it would be an understatement of every stretch to dare say that The Big Rip didn’t deliver anything but a fascinating performance here. The foundations have been laid, and all we have to do is what to see what is to come from all that “Goatlord” has sown. Until then however, I don’t see us getting tired of what The Big Rip has achieved any time soon.

LISTEN to “Goatlord” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE The Big Rip on Facebook here.