REZN

An omnipresent force over the last decade, REZN have always stood measurably apart from the stoner hordes. While many supposedly like-minded bands stick to a simple recipe of warmed-up BLACK SABBATH riffs and superficial nods to the psychedelic realm, the Chicagoans are restless mavericks with an intuitive gift for taking stoner rock and doom metal into uncharted territory. Although their prosaic roots are rarely far from the surface, REZN are several steps ahead of their peers and, on their sixth album, they showcase songwriting that is as audacious as it is transcendental.

As ingenious as they are throughout "Cycles in the Infinite Dream", REZN are still firmly dedicated to the art of huge riffs. "Rites of Passage" is the perfect entry point into this album's kaleidoscopic world: coasting on a smooth but surging space rock riff, vocalist Rob McWilliams appears like some angelic narrator, intoning gracefully over the steadily mounting rush of distortion and groove that eventually scorches off into the ether. REZN's music may only be a distant cousin to generic stoner rock, but there is enough fuzzy momentum powering these songs along to keep the average bong-slave happy. The difference is that riffs are only a starting point for this band's latest and greatest magic carpet ride. "Transient" has plenty of traditional doom in its veins, but as the wall of overdriven guitars recedes, and a plaintive saxophone solo drifts into earshot, REZN's ever-evolving status as one of heavy music's most instinctively subversive bands becomes clear. McWilliams's reedy tenor makes a huge difference, too. Far from a typical voice in stoner metal, his borderline androgynous contributions elevate REZN's songs like a jolting dose of endorphins, bringing light and levity to some otherwise overwhelming compositions.

Even at their most straightforward, this band are operating on a higher plane than most. "Cloudfall" is an absolute peach of a song: burly and belligerent, its gritty riffs are offset by McWilliams's ethereal toplines, and some telling chord changes and ghostly synthesizer tones add atmospheric depth to the song's steady buildup. The last 50 seconds of "Cloudfall" are utterly blissful and squarely in the post-rock realm, but the shift is done so seamlessly that it never jars. Similarly, "Aerial Birth" is a beautiful thing, built upon somnambulant, shoegazing guitars and a PINK FLOYD-esque sense of space and scope, but with a distorted sting in its tail and a tender, yearning chorus that yanks persistently at the heartstrings.

After the haze of gossamer guitars and melancholy cello that form the mid-album interlude of "Devotion", "Cycles in the Infinite Dream" kicks up a gear. "The Vessel" is another monstrous example of REZN's unique, dream-doom approach, with punishing riffs that spark and swell underneath another impeccably twinkly-eyed McWilliams vocal. In contrast, "Escher" offers a gentle deluge of elegant sorrow, with pedal-steel floating enticingly in the background, and a moody, grunge-adjacent gait with accompanying, NIRVANA-like quiet / loud dynamics. Next, "Primal Thread" gives another respectful nod to the shoegaze scene, while also triggering the gothic rock klaxon with that enviable bass tone and general air of scowling resignation.

REZN go for broke on the closing "Terra Preta". A rambling cosmic epic with a warped, bluesy core, its bittersweet melodies and languorous flow harbor darker, heavier intent, and the spaced-out gorgeousness is mischievously underscored by vast surges of stormy guitar. Whether it's the soundtrack to a voyage into space or simply the last thing you hear before you melt into the sofa after a strenuous session, REZN's artistry is so singular and well-executed that it demands respect. Dream on, you crazy bastards.