Quality addition to prolific discography
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is a six piece psychedelic rock band hailing from Melbourne, Australia. The band formed in 2010 and is known for exploring various genres and having a prolific discography. Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms And Lava is their 21st studio album, which were quickly followed by their 22nd album, Laminated Denim and 23rd album, Changes – all of which were released in October.
This project is the follow up to their album Omnium Gatherum which was released in April of this year. Their 19th studio album, Made In Timeland, also arrived back in March. Clearly, the band has had a massive output this year, producing five full length albums so far. One might question this method, citing the old age saying “quality over quantity.” However, Ice, Death, Planet, Lungs, Mushrooms And Lava is not only a quality album, but is a timeless record.
The album starts off with the carefree “Mycelium.” With a ska tempo and rich instrumentation, this opener shows the personality and potential of the band. The lyricism is poetic and grotesque, and contrasts heavily with the energy of the instruments. Frontman Stu Mackenzie sings, “Bursting beams of hopping rabbits / Organs bleed with sucking maggots.” These are the types of lyrics one would expect to hear in a death metal album, but they feel nearly pleasant in the context of the song.
The second song, “Ice V,” is in reference to the fifth Ice Age, which has been in progress for the last 2.58 million years. The lyricism on this track uses intense imagery, and feels very relevant to the overall theme of the song. “Shooting rays of frozen light,” and “Earthborn cities stripped away / As the ice queen hypnotically sways,” immerse the listener into the fictional world that the band has crafted.
Besides how well the lyricism compliments the aesthetic of the album, the instrumentation is amazing. Most of the songs are well over five minutes long, so they include some sort of interlude in the middle. “Hell’s Itch,” and “Iron Lung,” are prime examples of this. The thirteen minute long “Hell’s Itch” starts with arpeggiated guitar riffs, followed by a flute, a shaker, and other instrumentation. Saxophone enters later in the song along with synths. However, it never feels like “too much.” In fact, it feels more than appropriate for the overall theme of the album.
The record ends with “Gliese 710,” which is a stunning and grand track that feels almost like the band’s victory lap. There is instrumental influence from jazz, with an overall progressive-rock vibe. The song is chaotic, and brings out the best in the band.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is a hardworking band. It is nearly unfathomable that they can write and release as much music as they do, and have it still be high quality work. This album is an essential listen for anyone who is interested in alternative, progressive-rock, or strong concept albums.
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