You can't get very far into the Stoner/Doom trek without running into ACID KING. Formed in 1993, the San Franciscan band, headed by legend Lori Joseph (guitars, vocals), has been a mainstay in the scene for 30 years now. On March 24, 2023, they released their fifth full-length studio album, "Beyond Vision," a curious but compelling mix of ambient cosmic Psych and heavy Stoner.

It has been eight years since the band's last release and a lot has happened since then. Most notably COVID and its varied impacts and, for the band, a significant series of lineup changes, including the addition of a second guitarist, Jason Landrian. Keep in mind that until this point ACID KING has been a trio. The impacts of these changes make up the fabric of the new album. Joseph explained in a recent Guitar World interview that "the entire recording is in order of a journey: one that could be in your mind, one that you went on, and in our case, one while spending nights in the studio under quarantine, deep in conversations about life in general and life on the road."

The seven-track album is a balance of four instrumental tracks and three more traditional songs, e.g. with vocals. It has a full runtime of just over 42 minutes, with only one track that might be construed as an interlude, "Destination Psych," though it is well past the mid-point. As a side note, this track is coupled with the title track for the first video release supporting the album (link below).

The album kicks off with "One Light Second Away," a track that starts off with a slow ambient vibe before venturing into groove-laden Stoner zone. It's one of those tracks that encapsulates the full spectrum of the remainder of the album-and hence, the perfect opener. We quickly hit critical velocity with track two, "Mind's Eye." Most metalheads will gravitate to this one with its infectious riffs and enticing vocals. Once that velocity is met, though, the boosters switch off and we drift through a wide expanse of slow-tempo space sludge. Not a bad journey, but a markedly different vibe than the first two tracks.

With track six, "Beyond Vision," we prepare for a return to earth and although there is a short reprieve to the atmospheric with the first minute or so of "Color Trails," Jason Willer ominously signals proper reentry at precisely 1:52. Shortly thereafter the heavy distorted riffs kick in again and we are under full gravitational pull plus several g's.

While I certainly love the visceral tracks-"Beyond Vision," "Mind's Eye," "Color Trails"-the more atmospheric pieces aren't lost on me. My favorite of this batch is "Electro Magnetic" which plays like a soundtrack to space flight sim, like Exo One or Earth Analog. When combined, the ambient with the visceral articulate a complete journey-or maybe even an orbit-once around the sun and back to a more grounded point of origin.

I should also mention the production values of the album are excellent, which lends a listening experience that any audiophile will appreciate. All in all, "Beyond Vision" is a great return for ACID KING. A new lineup coupled with new energy and a journey worth the telling. Longtime fans and newcomers alike will enjoy this one.