Review Summary: King Gizzard returns to stoner-thrash with substance
It was only inevitable for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard to circle back to metal at some point. Like 2019’s Infest the Rats’ Nest before it, PetroDragonic Apocalypse (I ain’t typing all that out) is dominated by robotic Hetfieldian shouts, chugging guitars with a fuzzy crunch, and near constant flailing speeds. But while that album presented stoner-thrash with a more basic template, here we see the band push it to more experimental ends.
They seem to have let more of their personalities shine this time around if the little quirks throughout are anything to go by. The vocals in particular feel less one-note, supplemented by gang shouts and spoken word on top of the throaty gurgles that pop up. Having the full roster on board also allows for more off-the-wall playing with more spots for busier percussion, exotic leads, motorik rhythms, and climactic vocal/guitar harmony segments. In this sense, it feels more like a heavier progression from something like Murder Of The Universe.
The scale is also considerably broader with a more involved storyline and longer tracks whose runtimes frequently tower over the punchy blasts on Rats’ Nest. It plays like Nonagon Infinity on steroids as the songs flow into an overarching suite and the pace rarely lets up save for the occasional rhythm break or the slightest tempo fluctuation. It’s a lot to take in all at once, especially with “Dragon” and “Flamethrower” closing things out in back-to-back nine-minute onslaughts, but the overall duration is manageable. In classic Gizzard fashion, you just might end up picking it back up as it finishes.
And while this layout can make it tricky to tell when one song ends and another begins if you aren’t looking, each one offers standout moments. “Supercell” gets an extra kick courtesy of those higher backing vocals, “Converge” adjusts its gallop to bring more of that classic swing, and it’s amusing to see them threaten to go full Rob Zombie in the borderline rap on lead single “Gila Monster.” “Flamethrower” might be my personal pick of the longbois, its chunky riff set plays off the violent “Dragon” before the back half transitions into an extended comedown with electronics and a cool tribal flair.
Having longed for more stoner-thrash since Infest the Rats’ Nest dropped, it’s great to see King Gizzard return to the style with substance on PetroDragonic Apocalypse. Part of me prefers that album’s more compact presentation, but this album’s more adventurous playing and extravagant themes are better suited to their overall vision. It may take some time to absorb but always delivers on the thrills. Think they might still have a doom album in them too?
