Temptress - See

Founded in mid-2019 and shortly thereafter boasting their first EP Temptress started brilliantly and had already prepared everything for a first album, only to be slowed down by global circumstances. The trio from Texas used the time to refine their own sound – somewhere between doom, psychedelic, sludge and stoner – and to further increase the heaviness factor. Now the mighty first album is ready „See“ in the starting blocks.

The prelude alone exudes pure, magical destruction. “Death Comes Around” rears its head for more than ten minutes and gets the trio’s sound to the point. All three musicians share the microphone, which is expressed in evocative and enchanting harmonies. Thick instrumental walls with psychedelic undertones creep in, with the lively, throbbing bass in particular worthy of particular attention. Smaller variations keep intensifying the heaviness, while in the second half the guitar strikes endless solos and takes the song into transistor party-like realms.

It doesn’t get quite as monumental as the next episode, but the meditative qualities remain. There’s the videoed “Serpentine,” for example, which it takes to slowly work its way out of its seemingly endless loops before flexing its muscles. In the meantime, a lot of stoner sludge comes through here – ugly, rough and sharp-edged, but almost catchy at the right moment. “Waiting”, on the other hand, marches comparatively directly forward. The trio share the mic, each with brief leads as the instrumental loop continues to spin, escalating the riff-heavy, oppressive madness at a leisurely pace.

Meanwhile, the spiral of the infinite heaviness of being continues to turn inexorably. In this three quarters of an hour, Temptress pull out all the stops and land a complete success. “See” is brute and yet harmonious, deliberately washed out and yet so mesmerizing. It shouldn’t really go together that well, but it does, and with astonishing ease. Psychedelic-Doomy stoner sludge with three strong voices, oppressive intensity and weird-brutal catchiness: You will surely hear more from Temptress.

Rating: 8/10

Available from: 03/03/2023
Available through: Metal Assault Records

Website: www.temptressofficial.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/temptressdfw