It’s strange times at the moment, who would have thought at the beginning of 2020 live music would become a thing of the past!!!! We’d be strapped in for the long haul and unable to meet up with friends or our music loving family. But in fairness what a time to be opening our ears and exploring new kinds of sounds, different genres and pushing our normal comfort zones just that little bit further, while trying to support the musicians trying to scrape by.

Riding in on the back of that introduction come Lacertilla, hailing from Cardiff , “Lacertilia are a  quintet that forge psychedelia, space rock, stoner metal and proto-punk into a compelling heavy rock sound”, that could have been Pity my Brain’s main man Jamie Richards talking because he’s the guy that first introduced me to this huge sound, harkening back to the primal gloom of early Sabbath, the energy of the Stooges, swirling around a Hawkwind led Psychedelic storm while also feeding off the beast that is Monster Magnet.

Since their inception in 2013, Lacertilia have toured the UK and Europe extensively, sharing the stage with Karma To Burn, Hawklords, Orange Goblin, Elder, Honky and countless others. Their wild and energetic stage shows have established them as firm favourites on the underground rock scene, securing them performances at Hellfest, Bearded Theory and Freak Valley.

Lacertilia have released 2 EPs and 1 LP so far, their heady sound best captured on their debut album ‘We’re Already Inside Your Mind’ which was released in 2016.

This is their second album ‘Calling The Quarters’ which was recorded early 2019 at the legendary Foel Studios home to amongst others Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles, Napalm Death, and Electric Wizard buried in the depths of Mid Wales.

So what does it sound like? Opener “Cloak and Dagger” emerges from the speakers with the vocals hitting somewhere at a midpoint behind early primetime Ozzy and monster magnets Dave Wyndorf , the bass taking on lead duties after you’ve been battered by heavily distorted guitar, before that guitar steals back in on a sea of psychedelic swirls, I’m really liking this!!!! Heavy distorted Psychedelia rules.

Next up “Labyrinth” almost pushes you back into the chair, heading deep into Alice in Chains territory, before heading  back on that heavy psychedelic trip, taking you into all sorts of places both heavy and intense, but you do get the feel the band are just building up momentum.

The picked acoustic sound leading you into “Further” hints at another welsh band, The Dead Shed Jokers, before those thoughts are torn away , and as your face melts with the heaviest track so far, the native Indian chanting loosely connects you to much earlier influences, invoking bith shamanism and the Doors in equal measures.

“Procession of Lost Souls” takes the almost shamanistic vision to a natural conclusion, giving a calm before the storm that is “At the edge of Utopia” which lifts the whole LP and hits a whole new level, this is seriously the way all psychedelic rock should sound and I think for yours truly stands out, really invoking the spirit of the Stooges.

“Inside the circle”, follows on keeping the sound heavy and intense, before we are led by the almost Tribal drums into “Feral” amid chants of Lacertilla, I’m sure this would provide a great intro prior to the band coming on stage, then we’re into another cracker “So Mote it be” again harkening back to the past, invoking the spirit of Sabbath, but the right way to finish off, what is a pretty spectacular LP. Go on Test yourself push your boundaries, but more importantly give these guys a listen, they’re going places.

Buy The Album Here

Author: Nev Brooks