In August 2014, Los Angeles trio Wand released debut ‘Ganglion Reef’, a psychedelic record inspired by a make-believe island. They’ve maintained that imaginative approach for follow-up ‘Golem’, which is full of brain-bending riffs, effects and abstract lyrics. ‘Self Hypnosis In 3 Days’ mixes Pond’s wackiness with the power and weight of Black Sabbath, and ‘Flesh Tour’ noodles through dark psychedelia as Cory Hanson – who has played in fellow LA bands Meatbodies and Together Pangea – sings in riddles: “Sticks and stones, nobody knows/Life on the body, flesh tour around”. ‘Golem’’s highlight, though, comes in closer ‘Planet Golem’, a march through blacker-than-black sludgy riffs that melts into a puddle of noise.
LA’s Wand impressed with their debut album ‘Ganglion Reef’, which was inspired by a make-believe island. On ‘Golem’ they mix sludgy Black Sabbath-riffs with howling psych vocals to surpass that first record with flying colours.