All things considered, the desert is given quite a bit of credit across the undergrounds of both rock and metal music for all the right reasons. Whether we’re dealing in the more psychedelic reaches with desert rock, in particular, or venturing underneath the beating heat amongst a vast expanse of what can be seen as nothingness, there is loads to explore and uncovered under the scarce shadow of the cacti. Having already put out three volumes exploring forgotten tales in such lands, the “Legends of the Desert” split series has been a constant source of inspiration and greatness for the New Wild West. Now, in its fourth iteration, we see the series take its heaviest turn yet.

These are two names that need little to no introduction for what they’ve done for heaviness transcendent in the American West. Eagle Twin has been on a crusade of heaviness that can be easily boiled down to doom metal, but anyone who comes before them knows they are much more than that with all their tendencies and inclinations constantly coming together to make for an impactful listen that cannot easily be likened to experiences brought forth by others. In the case of The Otolith, the legend of the phoenix immediately comes to mind. Rising from the ashes of SubRosa, The Otolith captures a haunting sound that is just as beautiful as the desert night where the sky is alight with the glimmer of stares with only the desert rats and outlaws able to gaze upon its forbidden beauty. Separate, these acts are nothing to deny and bring unique flavors to doom metal to ensure that no two of their works sound alike. Together, though, they bring heaviness, grandeur, colorful sorrow, and extreme depth to the desert.

Two tracks per band with each contributing just shy of twenty minutes each, “Legends of the Desert: Volume 4” sees both of these acts go headfirst into their own sonic territory with nothing holding them back in any form. Coming up to the plate first, Eagle Twin makes it abundantly clear that this is an edition of this split series that embodies the doom side of the desert, yet always makes damn sure to show how transformative the landscape can still be. Armed with riffs and soloing rhythms that entrance one to the very heartbeat of the land, this is doom ever-shifting. Just as capable of intensity as it is gentle notions as the critters of the realm skitter by your feet, Eagle Twin builds the perfect foundation of sturdiness and magnitude all put forth by a focused mind.

It’s then that The Otolith takes the reigns and shows us the beauty in all things even if they are baked in heat and associated with slow agonizing death, yet it’s in the majesty of rarely being seen by the human eye that such a work revels within. The very night sky unfurls at the mere presence of The Otolith with the union of raw evocative heaviness and dual violins ensuring that this is a sound that simply cannot be compared to anything in the current landscape of doom metal, but also something that the sound can quickly adhere to. Hypnotic to the highest degree and never once lacking in terms of ritualistic magic that brings the desert itself to life in such a way that only the long-gone Native American tribes of the West understood so intimately. Where only the spirits tread while the galaxy itself bleeds upon the surface of the rock, The Otolith brings such depth and splendor under the gaze of the moon where meditation, peace, and clarity are to be had by those that truly surrender themselves to what’s brought forward here.

Two sides of the same coin that bring glory and magnificence to a lay rich in lore and tales that our amnesiac society has laid to waste centuries ago, both Eagle Twin and The Otolith have delivered a joint performance that can only be considered as one of the finest editions that “Legends of the Desert” has yet to bring forward.  Even long after the final entry in this series comes out, whenever that may be, this fourth volume is sure to standout for all that it dared to deliver from its raw nature to immense spectacles that are of a breed only the blinding sun and solemn moon know on such an intimate level.

“Legends of the Desert: Volume 4 – Eagle Twin & The Otolith” releases on September 20th via Desert Records!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Legends of the Desert: Volume 4” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Eagle Twin on Facebook here.

LIKE The Otolith on Facebook here.