A psychedelic rock opera, all the great seventies rock bands are referenced here: the big riff swagger of Led Zeppelin at their peacocking peak, the bluesy flair and organ swirl of Deep Purple, the theatrical pomp of a sweat-soaked and gasping Meat Loaf, and in Evil In Your Eye there's even a touch of Vegas-residency Elvis, numbed by painkillers and poor management but buoyed and enraptured by the soul food of gospel and r'n'b. The vocalists nudge and wink their way through it like they're out for a night at the opera with Freddie Mercury. This is no mere classic rock throwback, though, and it sits easily along more modern fare, like the grizzled jams of Black Mountain or even Hazards of Love-era Decemberists. A seven-piece super group that's both big in size and ideas, Church of the Cosmic Skull aren't afraid to show off their towering ambition.
