Novocastrian doom quartet Lady Petrol have unleashed a dynamic debut LP that’s equal parts schizophrenic and serotonin.
Distortion, fuzz, psychedelics. This is the home ground of Novocastrian’s Lady Petrol, a quartet teeming with creative energy.
Since 2016, the band have supported Ruby Fields, Los Scallywags, Drunk Mums, released an EP, and clinked many tinnies. Now, they’ve dropped their first full length, Molecular Melodies, an album that thrusts the listener right in the deep end. Let’s run through the tracklist to explore the bands’ evolving sound and solid wield over dynamics.
Opening track Sedation Steve begins with an outback acoustic lick. Then suddenly, a racing snare gives way to a fuzz-filled breakdown.
The ASMR-doom vocals – “self-medication”, sounds like a call to darkness, as the lyrics explore the horrors of a bad trip. Meanwhile, Slinky offers straight-up 4/4 punk grunge, with a huge wall-of-sound chorus and belted lead vocals.
Conspire features a wandering bassline and another epic, fuzz-filled breakdown. The loud-soft dynamics are a key experience of Molecular Melodies, which the band label as “an auditory personification of schizophrenia”.
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Later in the tracklist, the doom band introduces their eastern-psychedelia influence, especially in the hazy Primitive People.
Revolver from The Beatles feels like a key reference, considering the kaleidoscopic sitar lines and wavy vocals. The understated Holes was a personal favourite of this style.
The track explores eerie acoustic grunge with a perfect blend of sweetness and dissonance. It reminds me of Something In The Way from Nirvana, except George Harrison showed up to track some sitar.
Overall, Molecular Melodies is a seriously impressive debut full length that showcases a doom band that pays great attention to their tracks’ overall vibe and energy.
For lovers of shoegaze, psychedelia, and fuzzed-up choruses, this is an essential listen.
Check out Molecular Melodies below:
