Listen to Gene Wildest’s genre bending stoner opus Spectral Terrestrial

It’s not easy to write an introduction for Gene Wildest. The Philadelphia rockers can channel the whole of guitar-rock history in the span of a song, mixing genres as freely as spices. On their new LP, Spectral Terrestrial, GW draw from doom metal, space rock, shoegaze, math rock, and more to sustain an absorbing spaced-out atmosphere.

The LP also serves as an addition to the great stoner rock legacy of the concept album. As written in the liner noters, it “tells tales of loss and returning from the dead to find your way home to the ones that matter”. While it will take a fairly close listen to pick up on those lyrical themes amidst the onslaught of noise, the heavily-treated vocals work seamlessly in the mix as an instrument in their own right. Highlights of the album include the dynamic opener “The Past Ate You”, the spacey grooves of “Neck Romancer”, and the majestic closing epic “Beauty Over Time.”

Fans of rock at it’s most fantastical will find plenty to love in Spectral Terrestrial, and would do well to see Gene Wildest perform it live at the August 30th record release at Boot and Saddle; more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.

Listen to Spectral Terrestrial below.