Despite a switch of drummers, with Jimmi Kohlscheen in place of Elvis Campbell, little else seems to have changed in the world of Sweden’s psyche-jammers Asteroid. Though it’s been six years since the release of their last album, II, the imaginatively titled III rouses itself from the sofa, takes a huge hit from the bong and navigates the politics of consciousness with enormous slabs of monolithic riffing, groove-laden rhythms and Herculean soloing.
Though Asteroid eschew any notions of originality with a sound that harks back to the early 70s, their commitment to wig-outs that never outstay their welcome is to be commended. Witness the gloriously cosmic slide guitar that powers Pale Moon, which locks in with the murderous low-end groove of Johannes Nilsson and Kohlscheen’s drums. Similarly, the primordial licks at the heart of Wolf & Snake and Last Days are comforting in their familiarity. A welcome return.
