Pharaoh Overlord

The seventh studio album from Finland's Pharaoh Overlord, Lunar Jetman is quite a departure from the monotonous stoner rock with which the group are typically associated. Perhaps the inclusion of Faust's Hans Joachim Irmler has prompted the Pharaoh Overlord camp to broaden their horizons, leading them to experiment with elements of jazz and minimalism. It's tempting to say that the sound of the Pharaoh Overlord is essentially merging with that of Circle, a Krautrock ensemble of which Pharaoh Overlord are essentially a splinter group. The one aspect of Lunar Jetman that's consistent with the rest of the band's oeuvre is the lengthiness of their compositions. However, this time around, the extended durations are used as a means for each track to gestate ― the band members are given a broad temporal field in which to improvise. It's this sense of malleability that makes Lunar Jetman the most enjoyable Pharaoh Overlord album to date.