Wytch Pycknyck “Wytch Pycknyck” 2024. Limited edition transparent green vinyl, Property of the Lost Records. Hard garage-psych stoner rock. The debut LP from the UK four-piece that their label describes (with my editorial flair) as a Motörhead meets the Butthole Surfers, with a spicy dash of AC/DC, the Pixies and Sonic Youth. I will say that I think the band’s name is terrible but I guess on brand for their genre(s). Loud, a bit screamy at times, lots of shredding, occasionally messy, always weird. The opener “Rawkuss” is a total psych-rock banger. “Gravity Lies” is grungy as hell, totally channeling Soundgarden but accented with creepy spoken word stuff, something I’m generally not fond of it, but with these guys it works. “Fire Breathin’ Dragon” is an epically long ass-shaker and I found this take on it which is fun:

Fire Breathing Dragon is a top as fuck grunge number with a massive Geordie like riff teaming up with Pantera for a nu metal party. It’s a seven and a half minute banger that rocks with the rolls and punches high on the solo meter. After two minutes it goes all weird psych again with some gloomy synth from Ewan Fitzgerald before a slow doom riff from Bonj (not Jovi) slowly rises with some clever drums from Sam Davies who sounds like he knows his way around his kit. Malt sounds like someones stubbed a cig out on his arse at this point and is cursing the burn. It sounds great. It’s a tune that dabbles with everything and a sound of four mad bastards having a laugh. The guitar attack in the outro is brutal as fuck. –Wayne Cary

“Colombo No. 5” is one of the shortest tracks on the LP, another ass-shaker, probably the most straightforward garage rock track: tight, bass and riff-heavy, no zoning out on this one. The closer “Frostbite” is alt-rap with a charming UK accent, as if to drive home the point that Wytch Pycknyck is allergic to being classified (and to using vowels).