An escape would be good about now, something to take us somewhere where the tidal waves of horrors can’t get to us, and we can actually breathe for a second. Despite how chaotic and angering things may be right now, having a means to not get caught up in the onslaught of news might be the only means to stay sane.

Not sure The Grey had that idea in mind when creating “Kodok,” their third record, but I’ll be damned if that isn’t what they conjured. The UK-based doom-influenced, earth-quaking trio finds ways to make cinematic bends that lap with volcanic eruptions, and it has a means of creating imagery in your head, transporting you someone else, if only for about 42 minutes. Another interesting thing about this band—guitarist Charlie Gration, bassist Andy Price, drummer Steve Moore—is their expanse sonically. Yes, they still hold on to the tenets that brought them here, but with even more imagination and fire than before, with a few special guests sprinkled in to give this even more life (even if it’s marred in, uh, grey).  

“Painted Lady” opens in burly power, a thick fog covering everything but letting small holes open for light to beam through them. The playing buzzes and burns before doomier trudging takes hold, thickening the moodiness as the guitars stream toward reddened skies. The leads soar gently before digging back in, the final moments expiring in exhaust. “La Bruja (Cygnus)” has the drums rousing, guitars chugging, and a chunkier, beefier attack mounted, the pressure peaking and then fading. The pace picks back up and turns steely, voices warble as if from a dream, and a shadowy, liquidy center melts, brushing with space before re-engaging with brutality. “Sharpen The Knife” features vocals from Grady Avenell (Will Haven), and his voice adds mucky grit to a steamy gaze of energy. Avenel goes from shrieks to guttural growls, hammering away as a strange aura is achieved, only to disintegrate in thin air. 

“CHVRCH” is quiet and reflective when it opens, guitars swelling and dashing, creating a sort of Pelican-style vibe. The pace picks up and immediately feels more dangerous, digging into muscle before pulling back again, letting blurry visions cloud your sight, shrieks gutting through glimmering keys. The vocals continue to bruise extremities as the playing pounds and mesmerizes, slipping into a dream state. “Don’t Say Goodbye” is a total change of pace, a lighter, more emotional piece built with clean guitars and raw reflection. Ricky Warwick’s (Black Star Riders) singing should soothe, but there’s hurt lying in the words as he first sings, “Don’t say goodbye unless you’re leaving,” repeatedly, with the final refrain ending with, “Unless you mean it.” Closer “AFG” features guitarist Ace from Skunk Anansie and Chris Hargreaves (fattybassman), and it’s a jerky, gazey piece that feels oddly calming in spots, moving toward the drums coming to life, stick taps making blood boil. An encircling atmosphere arrives, hulking pounding makes the earth shiver, and steam rises and threatens before dissipating into the air.

The Grey expand their sound into even newer areas with “Kodok,” a record that took me a few tries before it finally set in, and when it did, it was a pretty satisfying jolt. Sure, there might be very little left that’s new under the sun, and this band does delve into well-traveled post-metal and doom pathways, but they inject a sense of adventure and personality into the music that lets it create its own narrative. This experimentation paid off for the band, and hopefully they continue to explore underneath more surfaces the next time around. 

For more on the band, go here: https://thegrey2.bandcamp.com/album/kodok

To buy the album, go here: https://www.majesticmountainrecords.com/products/the_grey_kodok-preorder

For more on the label, go here: https://www.majesticmountainrecords.com/