If you know me, then you’re well aware of the fact that I’m very much a fan of metal that goes for the throat, leaves no survivors, and isn’t ever afraid to bring forth a raw experience the likes of which only the darkest depths of metal can properly fester in. Yet, I’ve always been a fan of the exact opposite. A listen that is as soothing as it is captivating for the imagination and the senses is what many of us are constantly craving, and we’re ridiculously fortunate to live in a time where those qualities come in many forms with the heavy reaches of such a concept far from unexplored. There are thousands of names out there for us to become lost in, but new names are some of my favorite to come upon for you don’t know what to ever honestly expect when they pop up. Case and point: Sonic Moon.

Even if there is so much room for uncompromising heaviness that goes perfectly with boatloads of psychedelia in a sound that’s as expansive as this, temperance and calculation can pay off for far greater rewards when put in the hands of musicians who know not just how to deliver that excellence in spades, but those who know how to capitalize on it on to tremendous effect. When you bring doom elements into the mix for a sound born out of a clear love for any form of heavy psychedelia, it’s not often we see cases like “Return Without Any Memory”. In practically every instance that are given to us throughout these seven tracks, Sonic Moon knew precisely what they were doing without exception in each step they took. As much a trip through thick fuzz as much as it is a display of understanding for a sound that can easily become lost in its own grandeur, this is a debut that any and all fans of the sound should be able to fall into with absolute ease. A dreamlike experience that wraps around you such that you become immediately comforted by the presence as the delectable riffs and chill but focused atmosphere pulls you further into the warm bed of shifting colors that Sonic Moon controls with true mastery, “Return Without Any Memory” begs to be taken for its fullest. Far from the craziest creation we’ve seen from this sound, you don’t need to blow minds or reinvent the sound to do it fantastically well.

There’s naught much to say other than the simple fact that this record stands as a clear love letter to the softer side of heavy psych without once ever forgetting to take a dip in the dark side in order to really make sure that “Return Without Memory” doesn’t become a one-note debut. Rather, Sonic Moon has put forth an effort that doesn’t just see the band putting their best foot forward, but it signals the start of a band that is incredibly promising from top to bottom.

LISTEN to “Return Without Any Memory” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Sonic Moon on Facebook here.