TELEKINETIC YETI-a great name for a Stoner/Doom Metal band and your next DnD character. This band comes to us from the unlikely environs of Dubuque, Iowa. At a loss? Yeah, I'm from the US and have never heard of this town-until now, because damn, TELEKINETIC YETI. The duo formed in 2015 and released their debut, "Abominable," to many accolades and much praise. A few years later the prerequisite lineup drama happened and a few more years from that, on July 8, 2022, the mighty beast unleashed their second full-length, "Primordial."

First things first. The album cover is f'ckin' perfect. A buffed Yeti standing in front of a giant predator skull surveying a brutal antediluvian landscape. Yep, that pretty much says 'primordial to me. Second, the raw vibe of this album is in faultlessly aligned to the band name as well as the album title. Stripped down, monster riffs set to fuzz-laden, dirty rhythms. I know people hate categorizations, but Stoner/Doom really does capture it. Even the lyrics are minimalist-boiled down and condensed for maximum intensify.

The album comprises 11 tracks, with two instrumentals, and has a full run-time of almost 48 minutes. Oddly, my player shows longer track time than published (43:47), go figure, but I'll glad take the extra five minutes.  Compared to their debut, "Primordial" is less down-tuned and Doomish. These traits, however, are traded off for more top-end distortion and aggression. Altogether, the band seems more focused and tighter with fewer interludes and tangents than their first effort. Some people, of course, loved those detours, but a more linear and forward-driven TELEKINETIC YETI is a good thing too. The production values are also notably enhanced with Philip Cope of DAMAD and KYLESA fame taking the steering wheel.

My list of favorite tracks starts with "Ancient Nug"-also a featured via video, btw. Score! The hyperdrive shift at the 2:17 mark is sonic crack. I also really dig "Invention of Fire" for its crunchy riffs that launch into furious arpeggio gallops before resolving into a lead-fisted riffs by the end. Final on my list is "Beast" for its signature monster phrasing and breakout solos. With a name like TELEKINETIC YETI you're pretty much contractually obligated to have a track called "Beast."

Stoner/Doom fans have been waiting five years for TELEKINETIC YETI to drop a new album. And "Primordial" does not disappoint. Despite difficulties-the plague, lineup changes, life-TELEKINETIC YETI has persevered and even grown stronger. Stoner and Doom enthusiasts alike should check this one out.