Psyence, an emerging band from Stoke-on-Trent, are at the brutal end of psychedelic rock. The sound they produce nods more to Jimi Hendrix than any navel-gazing psych with a few jangly guitars and a bit of 60’s synth. There are even undertones of early Black Sabbath in some of their tracks.
‘Chemicals for Breakfast’ begins slowly, but seconds later the barrage of sound begins. The rapid, urgent rock kicks in, possibly like the chemicals of the title. This is very good old-school rock, but the vocals are pure psych, slightly unfocused and in places dreamlike. The combination works well, bringing the music up to date, adding freshness. The pairing of such heavy music and softer, more sophisticated vocals could have been a real mis-match, but they added a slightly softening effect I thought was welcome, and a valid and pleasing contribution to the track as a whole.
The only thing I found superfluous was the unfocused interlude somewhere in the middle of the track and the rather pretty indulgent ending. Both these seemed to just prolong the track unnecessarily and lost some of the impact of the song as a whole. Perhaps they were trying to convey the effect of the drugs in the title, but, as part of this particular track, they didn’t work for me. Overall, though the track was a good one, something definitely worth a Soundcloud listen. I’ll be keeping an eye on this band. They have whetted my musical appetite and I’m intrigued to hear more.
RIFFED's Rating 8/10
Listen to 'Chemicals For Breakfast' live via Youtube: