Shrouded in mystique and driven by the invigorating power of low notes, psychedelic metal outfit DRUIDS return with their fourth studio LP Shadow Work. With an album title referring to to one of the chief ideas of the notable psychoanalist Carl Gustav Jung, the trio from Iowa present a wild, riff-laden journey through the desolate wastelands of the subconscious.

Combining the sonic prowess of Mastodon with the psychedelic heaviness of OM, DRUIDS serve their grooves with a distinctly forward-thinking attitude, taking their witchy brand of psychedelic sludge metal to a new level of sophistication.

“We wanted to make a record that reflected the uncertainty of everything in 2020, and we figured this would be the time to really try something different,” explains drummer Keith Rich. By moving their operations from their hometown of Des Moines, IA to Salt Lake City, UT, the band were able to escape the distractions of everyday life and shift their gaze from the endless cornrows of their homeland to the breathtaking peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

The result is a record that sees the band increase the dynamics of their compositions while incorporating an even wider spectrum of sounds. “We wanted to make a pivot with this new record, slow things down and experiment with different sounds,” continues Rich, pointing to further influences ranging from Radiohead to Neurosis.

Indeed the choppy bass lines of album closer ‘Cloak-Noir Bloom’ do hearken back to quintessential experimental rock opus ‘Airbag’, while only moments later the same track breathes the explosive atmosphere of the seminal post-metal act from Oakland, California.