It had been a while since we’d heard anything from psych rock juggernauts DAMS, so when they approached us to premiere a single from their upcoming LP, Icarus, we jumped at the chance to float into a new sonic dimension. This album has been a long time coming, and 2015’s sneak preview, “Silk Cocoon,” wasn’t enough to satiate our appetite for the group’s unique brand of cerebral, spaced-out rock.
“Full Wolf Moon” finds DAMS doing what they do best — stirring a cauldron of heavy psych and expansive R&B that bubbles with spiritual undertones. This ambitious mix has taken some time to blossom since the creation of the band in 2013, but the single is one their most focused songs since they first teased the idea of an LP back in 2014.
According to bassist and founder Bret Philips, the band attempted “capture the energy of our live shows, while also being able to really hone in on some production magic to give the songs and album a life of their own that could never be recreated fully in a live set.” This effort to combine studio wizardry with DAMS’ trademark live intensity shines throughout “Full Wolf Moon,” but there is a presence to the track which reflects the group’s live chops more than their interest in production.
Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the complexity of DAMS’ music, but though the track begins to wander in the second half of the track, the clarity of the group’s vision appears by the time the screaming guitar and rumbling bass fades out. This is a band made up of consummate professionals, a factor visible through every facet of their creative process, but though they are experienced veterans, “Full Wolf Moon” proves they continue to look to the future.
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