As much as I hate to debate what genre a band belongs to, I have no problem believing the best records defy standard conventions altogether. In fact, you can make a pretty good argument that labels are strictly for marketing purposes. But when it comes to experimental bands, it can be difficult to offer a recommendation without some sort of sanction. I feel this could be the case for Lords Of Data, the debut album from Astral Hand.
Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Astral Hand started out as Calliope. I was introduced to them by way of a 7-inch record back in 2017. Upon my first listen I would’ve sworn they were right out of the mid-1970s. They were thr kind of band found in tape decks of panel vans with medieval murals painted on the side or next to Black Sabbath on a wall of backlit posters. But when Vic Buell, Al Kraemer, Dan Dahl, and Anthony Smith rechristened themselves as Astral Hand, things really came into focus.
Combining elements of psyche, metal, and progressive rock, Astral Hand is an exercise in otherworldly chaos.
Emerging from a trio of Calliope releases, the band intentionally (or unintentionally?) evolved into a darker mass. So by the time they reached their desired destination, it was fitting to change the name. As a debut record, Lords Of Data achieves a sense of finality of sorts for Astral hand. The guys aren’t experimenting with something new. Instead, the band stands poised with stature and confidence, straight out of the gate in its final form.
The album uses soundscapes of melodic synths, doom-ridden guitar, and thunderous percussion emulating the sound of planetary collision. But it’s still difficult to pinpoint just what it is exactly. The music feels far too melodic for metal but not dense enough to flirt with prog rock. My ears hear the record as something closer to a soundtrack of sorts. The highs and lows of the cinematic experience are present, but the lyrical content drives the narrative.
However, that doesn’t mean Lords Of Data is some sort of pretentious concept album weighed down by dense motifs.
The brooding atmosphere and ominous moods provide the necessary connective tissue without an unnecessary overarching story. “Not Alone” kicks things off with the cosmic dirge of a sci-fi action film written by Stephen Hawking. Yet, “God Emperor” closes the record with exotic landscapes and interstellar textures. In between, tracks like “End Of Man” and the lead single, “Contact” feed into the fuzz rock and metal territory. Lords Of Data literally has something for everyone here without spending too much time in one area.
So where do heavy bands belong if they aren’t part of any particular sub-genre? How am I supposed to describe these songs to potential listeners when I can’t really describe what I’m listening to in a simple sentence? I suppose I can only try. That’s the point of this review, right?
Astral Hand sounds like Astral Hand and if you want to know what that means, listen to Lords Of Data. It’s an indescribably good record that defies the standard conventions of heavy music.
Astral Hand’s Lords Of Data is available on vinyl on March 18th from Romanus Records.