For all the genres to throw in for an Experimental project, few if any of Metal Temple's readers would leap straight to Jazz. "Science teachers and the mentally ill; that's all Jazz is for," to quote Vince Noir. Still, one must admire the brazenness of the mix, embodied by companion and Jazz enthusiast Howard Moon as he identified and mocked Vince for fearing Jazz and its lack of rules and boundaries, an idea which left the otherwise confident Vince at a fluster.

Who then has dared to record such music? That would be Copenhagen-based MYTHIC SUNSHIP with their fifth album in as many years, "Wildfire". Having already moved on from their Stoner beginnings to a more Psychedelic strategy, the new album is another step in a much stranger direction. While it doesn't quite rise to the level of a 'radical' departure, to say it's different than fans might expect would quite understate it.

The first track, "Maelstrom", starts fast and keeps it going that way, coming in like a somewhat less intense EARTHLESS while the saxophone gives it an old HAWKWIND kind of vibe. "Olympia" follows that up with the latter-day Space Rock sensibilities of 35007, but both songs do go on a bit long. "Landfall" is the pearl inside this clam. Sounding like it could be part of an off-beat sci-fi soundtrack, the middle is especially good; the high notes on the sax give the song a vague Eastern-ness to it. There is definitely a spot in the All-2021 Playlist for this track.

After that comes "Redwood Grove", doling out rising acid vibes in a fashion not dissimilar to ASSEMBLE HEAD IN SUNBURST SOUND, but without lyrics it still very Jam-Bandy. "Going Up" closes the album in the same style as the three previous tracks, picking up some steam towards the end before ending rather gently, a spaceship sailing into the void on impulse engines instead of the warp drive.

For all the bands they sound like or otherwise resemble, they do not surpass any of them. And with "Wildfire" as the band's fifth full-length feature, one must wonder what it is that they're waiting to have happen? This was, in the broad strokes and rather unfortunately, a step back for the band at worst, or a creative plateau at best. MYTHIC SUNSHIP may have moved on from their fuzzier and more reverberated beginnings, but evolution has not made for innovation. They are not telling us anything we do not already know. The saxophone is a good effort to set themselves apart from the genre pack, however. The noodling Jazz certainly adds to the Experimental nature of what they've tried to create. Still, the erratic chaos of it all makes it more suited for a live show than even a live album.

So, is "Wildfire" worth getting your burn on? Well, if you're into the unfenced nature of Jazz and Space Rock Jam bands combined, then you'll certainly discover what you're looking for here. If you are looking for a little more intricacy, or something a bit more difficult, then you may find this a bit on the simpler side. As said, "Landfall" is a worthy track for a great big playlist, but as for the rest?

It's at least worth the forty-three minutes to decide for yourself.