Ghosts, the sophomore album from Denver-based downer rock duo Burning Sister, marks their first work as a two-piece since 2019. Nevertheless, the band proves that a massive sound can still emanate from a drum and bass duo as they churn out a hypnotic blend of doom, stoner rock, heavy psych, noise rock, and shoegaze. On a deeper level, Ghosts symbolizes tenacity and evolution for Burning Sister as they ambitiously took the opportunity to experiment with gear, amps, and effects. Relying less on a traditional Sabbathian doom/classic stoner sound than in the past, the band leans heavily into their heavy psych and noise rock influences on this album, producing a buzzing, immersive, lysergic tone that fills your entire body and mind with its echoing reverberations, a sensation that's utterly addictive.

AcidSitter specializes in an energetic but thought-provoking brand of psychedelic rock. While this appropriately named group infuses their music with plenty of hallucinogenic grooves inspired by the sounds of the 60s, the message behind their songs is always crystal clear. The band's sophomore release Escape From Egoland bursts right out of the gate with even more bubbling energy than their debut album Make Acid Great Again. The edges are sharper, the emotions are higher, and the contrasts are starker. However, there's an underlying urgency present within the colorful acidic grooves, a nod to the album's theme that beseeches us to save ourselves from ourselves. More than anything, AcidSitter proves on this album that they're a band that's always thinking, growing, and evolving - adding even more clever layers to their kaleidoscopic sound while keeping a pulse on the times, ensuring that their sound grows with their listeners.

Michigan-based trio Winds of Neptune stands out among the flood of heavy rock releases this month for bringing the grit and sweat to the party, along with a more progressive style. While their full-length self-titled debut certainly includes some hypnotic psychedelic respites in the mix, it's the high-octane freeway jams, leather-and-bellbottoms vibes, wailing guitar, and liberating grooves that more distinctly represent American pop culture during the "Anything Goes Decade" of the 70s. One of my favorite things about the album, however, is the underlying spacey feel it carries throughout, framing the imagery of Winds of Neptune's songs with a lysergic sci-fi aura that pairs incredibly well with the band's overall sound. This is a killer, no-skip album from start to finish.