More often than not, dealing with a sound influenced by anything from the realm of psychedelia means going all in. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there is always something that’s to be said about pulling back and only allowing yourself to burst forth in choice moments where the maximum impact of such a sound can really be felt. Moon Coven’s experience up to this point has made them a name to know in calculated heaviness mixed with on-point psychedelics, and that proves to be no different with the arrival of their fourth album.

What I always find fascinating about styles like heavy psych is the sheer liberty that bands still have in a sound that has been so well-explored over the years, yet there’s still far more than enough glory for any of us to look upon at damn near any given time. While many would rightfully think of acts like King Buffalo when considering the modern state of what heavy psych is capable of, somewhat smaller acts like Moon Coven are still more than deserving of our time, attention, and respect with works like “Sun King” tremendous efforts that don’t leave us unsatisfied. A smooth listen that very much feels like the sun upon your skin with all the glory that comes from being in its light, Moon Coven puts the listener on a tremendous journey amongst the clouds where the rules of reality seem to distort and shift at the very command of Moon Coven through their immense riffs, inspiring melodies, and tremendously tempered psychedelia that never once fails to miss its mark. “Sun King” captures you right from the beginning to deliver an experience that is all but typical for the modern state of the heavier reaches of psychedelic rock, but the quality here is undeniable! They are far from the biggest names in the game, but in no way has Moon Colven done anything to deserve any less respect from the fanbase with their clear understanding of the sound engaging from the beginning and the three-dimensional songwriting quickly enabling both the album and the band itself to becomes names that you have to familiarize yourself with if you haven’t already.

Every year, the very world of heavy psych seems to get richer no matter what it is that comes our way and no matter what albums are dished out. Adhering to that trend in a year that hasn’t seen much activity for the style, at least in my experience, Moon Coven has delivered an album whose soundwaves are more than incredibly welcome for all that they are. “Sun King” has so much to offer us, we need only to sink back into its magnificence and let it take us.

“Sun King” releases on August 25th via Ripple Music!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Sun King” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Moon Coven on Facebook here.