Review: Kal-El ‘Astral Voyager Vol. 1’
I started a trend a while ago of only including albums that I had reviewed as part of my best-of-year top ten articles. This was a practical move due to the amount of reviews I churn through in a calendar year, but often leaves a lot of great albums on the table to be mentioned by others, for example, the increasingly magnificent rise of Green Lung, who rank among my current favourites. Prior to that, these lists were more reflective of the whole scene and one of the most notable entries in recent times was the sprawling space odyssey that was Kal-El’s 2021 album Dark Majesty.
Not having heard much of the band, who had been piling their trade for nearly a decade by then, releasing four sci-fi themed albums of fuzz drenched stoner, erm, majesty, that was then surpassed by their fifth record which smashed its way deservedly into one of the coveted slots as the band captured my heart.
Fast forward to Desertfest last year, and the fact that they opened The Underworld on the Saturday, meant it was a premium appointment and bucket list item for me, for which they did not disappoint.
With the four-year gap between full length releases punctuated by 2023’s Moon People EP hinting at some changes to the epic sound they brought to Dark Majesty, the Norwegian quintet finally return with their sixth album Astral Voyager Vol. 1 (which, on the strength of this release, hopefully promises at least a Vol. 2…). It sees the band retain their vintage, other worldly themes, but add more heft and pace to their thundering signature sound.
Teasing the listener with the atmospheric spacey tone of effect laden twin guitars courtesy of Josh and Doffy, Kal-El kick off Astral Voyager with the title track. Shimmering cymbals and tentative tapping eases you like the sense of floating through space as the stars wheel overhead. The muscular crunch of the guitar comes in like rocket engines igniting to take us on our epic journey with a grooving riff. As ever the Captain’s Ozzy-tinged vocals are crystal clear and rangy, the slightly nasal delivery gives way to soaring, hazy, drifting melodies over the glorious fuzz. The opening number sets the scene with a slow, rolling pace that is heavy on psych elements, but bristles with power.
B.T.D.S.C. has a snaking guitar run that gives way to a more robust and rocking number that will see the band stand tall over a sea of furious headbanging. There is an urgency and speed rush which contrasts to the languid opener that has rapid fire vocals, a smash to the drums and a crunch to the guitars. The track barrels along, elevating each section through the pre-chorus to the triumphant and hook filled chorus with lines like ‘if you reap what you sow’. Following a breakdown with tumbling drums and an epic, pyrotechnic-like solo, they return to the huge anthemic and catchy chorus that will make this a live favourite in years to come.
just enough psych to create that trippy, retro vibe, enough sci-fi dalliances to satisfy the geek in me and lashings of nods to the greatest heavy metal band of all time…
Keeping up the pace and the chunk with Void Cleaner, Kal-El come out swinging with the most belligerent number on Astral Voyager. This mid-paced juggernaut chugs along over a banging riff infused with melodic inflexions and funky lead work. In a similar dynamic to the previous number, the band keep themselves restrained, building through levels until they take flight with the main refrain. Underpinned by the funky low end of Knutsen, the guitars scythe into dizzying solos as Bjudas pounds the kit like the ghost of Keith Moon.
Catching their breath with a noodling intro, Cloud Walker is laid-back with a calmly strummed guitar and a ballad like vocal. This bluesy lighters-in-the-air vibe crashes into the heavier moments. There is a nod to Black Sabbath/prime Ozzy in the meandering but crunching with the weightier passages playing off the clean harmonies. The loose feel to the track makes it seem like an improvised, instrumental jam session, but as they shift through phases it feels like they are mining the rare spice of Arrakis.
Dilithium could be about the real substance, or more likely, the rare mineral from Star Trek. The effect heavy intro gives way to the crump of the drums, returning them to the roomier spectrum of their repertoire. The immediacy of the vocals encompasses their natural storytelling flair. Over the thick groove, flourishes emerge that gives the track more energy and cranial oscillating excitement as they balance their power, keeping everything tight until they force you into submission with the huge ‘It will show you the way’ chorus.
Final track Cosmic Sailor is possibly the best showcase for the simply gorgeous tone that runs through the album. Another powerful, mid-paced rocker means that Astral Voyager may take a couple of listens before the nuances truly emerge, but when they do, you can shake off the initial impression that this is an album that requires listening to as Dark Majesty did.
Naturally, the tracks do work best in this format, but the closer is the best example of how the band use sequencing like the brooding build, the churning instrumental breakdowns and the pummelling heavier sections to set up sublime moments like the heady ‘I am a sailor’ earworm of the chorus.
Truthfully, I am a complete sucker for what Kal-El do, there is just enough psych to create that trippy, retro vibe, enough sci-fi dalliances to satisfy the geek in me and lashings of nods to the greatest heavy metal band of all time. Clocking in at just over forty minutes, Astral Voyager pairs back the length of the album (Dark Majesty ran at a whopping sixty-five minutes) and as a result, it is a punchy affair that never outstays its welcome and sees the band at their best.
Label: Majestic Mountain Records | Blues Funeral Recordings
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden
