There are some bands out there that you can rely on to turn whatever they touch into sonic gold. The Myrrors is, without a doubt, one of those bands.

This Tucson area band conjures together here elements of esoteric folk, droning post rock and deeply hallucinogenic Kosmische Musik into something far more mystical.

Kicking the record off with a total mission statement, the 52-second long “Awakening,” features the band erupting into volcanic blasts of pure sound interspersed with pauses of complete silence. Saxes wail, flutes tremble and drums detonate like some sort of lost Coltrane Live in Japan recording. The near-violent sonic assault catches the listener off guard with its sheer volume and tenacity. While it seems that every instrument at the band’s disposal is being utilized here, the track is never too dissonant. Instead, these full-bodied discharges are somehow harmonious. In this way, it introduces and prepares the listener for the seemingly chaotic yet strangely coordinated and stunning world of the record.

Tracks like “Biznagas” and “The Blood That Runs The Border” have strong shamanic vibes with ominous bouzoukis intermingling with twinkling bells, primal beats and haunting vocals which ring and reverberate as if they’re being called down from the peak of some lofty mountain. Meanwhile other tracks like the deeply hypnotic “Call for Unity” sound like if Don Cherry crashed an Amon Düül II gig.

The entire record comes to a head with the sprawling, trance-inducing “Note From The Underground.” Between the persistent drones and the mesmerizingly repetitive beat, the jam takes on a very ritualistic tone, making the listener feel as though they are sitting in on some sort of sacred mushroom-fueled ceremony. The piece, with its wall-to-wall humming organs and distorted guitars allows for Miguel Urbina to freely improvise with his atmospheric viola throughout its entire duration. At almost 20 minutes, this Velvet Underground-meets-Agitation Free like performance is the album’s ultimate epic and is strong and entertaining enough that it could easily be an entire record on its own. The fact that the track closes with a fade-out, leads me to believe that it could have easily continued on enjoyably for another hour or so.

Once again, The Myrrors have crafted a damn fine record that blends influences from all corners of the psychedelic music spectrum. From aspects of stoner metal to acid folk and cosmic jazz, Borderlands will surely take your ears and mind to a new and wholly unique place.   

-KH