Earthless - From The Ages


From The Ages is the newest release from Earthless, a San Diego trio consisting of guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, bassist Mike Eginton and drummer Mario Rubalcaba. It’s been six years since their last release, and these psych/prog-rockers have come back with an atmosphere exploding four-track LP, which runs about 60 minutes long.
 
The album begins with the blistering and exhilarating “Violence of the Red Sea”. After a cymbal wash, the theme of the track arises out of the noise and squeals of the guitar and introduces itself, grinning, knowing full well the voyage the listener is about to embark on. The rhythms produced by Rubalcaba and Eginton pound forward to steadying effect, which allows Mitchell the leeway to shriek through and explore with his electric guitar; this dynamic is constant throughout the album. 
 
“Uluru Rock” then follows at a clip that is slightly less than the previous light speed allowing us more time to gaze upon the aural stars. However, before too long, the band kicks into gear with the bass and drums hammering away following the guitar before docking at “Equus October”. This third track allows everyone to catch his or her breaths prior to embarking on the 30-minute ride that is “From the Ages”. Actually, it’s more reasonable to suggest that this final track is a journey and not a ride, as the band leads the listener around the cosmos.  
 
Listening to a 14-minute hard-rock track, let alone a 30-minute one, may not be everybody’s bag, and it may be the kind of thing you wish you could hear live in a room full of people with the sting of sweat and beer to act as non-musical accoutrement. Regardless, Earthless are a full-throttle rock group, and From The Ages exploits and embraces this attitude. The album is a fun listen and one I would recommend you try, because you’ll never know what you’ll hear next.