Interstelar ‘Resin’ Review: Los Angeles based rockers offer a deep dish of stoner rock goodness. 

[rating=5]

L.A. based act Interstelar have bashed out their own brand of stoner rock since the mid-00’s, gaining some buzz with their 2011 EP On Black Waves. And on their latest album Resin, the group shows a refinement and evolution in sound that should offer instant appeal to fans of the genre.

The album kicks off with siLO, which sounds like an unholy fusion of Black Sabbath and The Cult, with an anthemic chorus, powered by a sinewy riff and soaring vocals.

The title track plays with dynamics, going from spacey verse to seismic chorus over its near 8-minute running time, allowing layers of psychedelia and tension to weave a dense sonic tapestry, while Hold It is the most direct track, a solid slab of melodic rock with vocalist Jason Kothmann’s sturdy pipes riding high among the mix.

What distinguishes Interstelar from the stoner rock pack is diversity: while tracks like Behold and Opposite Daze (II) bring the heavy goods that are the meat and potatoes of the genre, they’re not afraid to go into more ethereal, melodic, alt-rock territory: High Horse is a swirling mix of falsetto vocals, trippy guitars and celestial soundscapes, while album closer Sequoia is a ballad of the Led Zep and Soundgarden variety, with middle-eastern guitar textures punctuating call-to-nature lyrics.

At 8 tracks, Resin is short-but-sweet, never over-staying its welcome and leaving you wanting more. Let’s hope a follow-up isn’t too far behind.

You can preview and purchase Interstelar’s New Album Resin on Bandcamp below.