Sumac - The Healer (2 LP, 2024)

This 2LP set was released in 2024.

Sumac, the experimental metal trio consisting of Aaron Turner, Brian Cook, and Nick Yacyshyn, returns with their fifth studio album, "The Healer," set to release on June 21, 2024, via Thrill Jockey. This sprawling four-song, 76-minute journey is Sumac's longest outing to date, pushing the boundaries of sludge, drone, and post-metal into uncharted territories.

"The Healer" opens with "World of Light," a slow-burning, atmospheric piece that sets the tone for the album's dense and introspective soundscapes. The band's signature harsh vocals and intricate instrumentation are on full display, creating a sense of urgency and tension that permeates throughout the record.

"Yellow Dawn" follows, a sprawling epic that showcases Sumac's dexterity and ability to blend noise, drone, and doom metal into a cohesive whole. The song's languid pace and static-laced textures create a sense of unease and foreboding, while Turner's vocals soar above the mix, delivering a powerful and haunting performance.

"New Rites" is a departure from the album's heavier moments, offering a more introspective and melodic approach. The song's haunting melodies and delicate instrumentation provide a moment of respite before the album's final track, "The Stone's Turn," a sprawling, 30-minute epic that brings together all of the album's themes and sounds into a single, cohesive whole.

Throughout "The Healer," Sumac's experimental approach to metal is on full display, with the band's dexterity and ability to blend noise, drone, and doom metal into a cohesive whole. The album's dense and introspective soundscapes create a sense of unease and foreboding, while Turner's vocals soar above the mix, delivering a powerful and haunting performance. "The Healer" is a testament to Sumac's ability to push the boundaries of metal and create something truly unique and unforgettable.