WOLF PRAYER hailing from western Germany, one of the most beautiful regions in the world with its lust forests and mighty rivers running throughout is most likely the inspiration that drives this stoner/fuzz rock band to create a variation of dry-to-the-bone-riffing and atmospheric sound bites that invite you to start dreaming until their fuzzy guitars, the characteristic and versatile vocals, the strong hypnotic bass lines and the hard drum beats wake you up. They invite its listeners to close their eyes and join a trip with the band through atmospheric soundscapes, hard riffs and hypnotic melodies. Returning with their second full-length album “Spell of the Crimson Eye” released on October 6, 2023 with a promise of thought-provoking lyrics on topics that range from searching for love, finding your inner self to moon landings. The band is proud of their further refinement of their style then on the debut effort and feel they have captured a mixture of power, consistency and force. I usually never quite know what to expect from stoner rock bands, they either have me reaching for the gummies or the aspirin bootle, but I have both within reach, so lets drop the needle down and see if I’ll be dancing around or lying down.

Opening up with “Interludium Nebulae” the scene for the album is set with a hypnotic space jungle safari feel, slowly building before launching into a brooding groove and riff, definitely an attention getting start. “Desire” opens up with a funky drum beat and meatier tempo backed solidly by a tight backdrop rhythm section highlighting some progressive fuzzy guitar work, so far I’m thinking PINK FLOYD meets THE GRATEFUL DEAD. Time to bring out the gummies on “Oblivion” with a stoned-out psychedelic, grooving melody that brings a swirling organ into the mix to complete this spaced-out trip back to Height Ashbury. “Cards of Evil” continues this distorted and disjointed venture back to a time where we burned draft cards, lit incense and hated the establishment and the music didn’t have to make sense or be crafty, it just has to keep the buzz going. With a few more songs left, I’m really hoping they pick up this “driving in the right lane” mundane pace. “Luna” and “The Devil Told Me So” end the album with slow paced emotionless deep fuzzy riffs backed by interludes of gritty drum work brought to the forefront whilst taking a dip in the stoner pool as the keyboards take their turn at centerstage and create a dissonant overall sound.

I just could not get into the fuzzed-out theme of “Spell of the Crimson Eye” as it offered nothing to keep my attention with the snails paced melodies and muddy, desperate vocals. The overall album was just too “dialed down” delivering a melancholy and disoriented sound that fizzled out to a lackluster finale.