Over the years I’ve described Helsinki, Finland-based heavy psych/prog-rock trio KALEIDOBOLT as everything from eustress rock and atomic rock to a “blast of high-functioning, generationally transcendent heavy rock” but for this fifth full-length album they’ve done us the honor of likening their work to a highly attenuated dry lager which is pungent up front and finishes smooth, energizing for the palate. That is to say that they’ve front-loaded ‘Karakuchi‘ with a mouth-smacking level of action, a blur across the wasteland which reads exuberant ’til introspective in steady waves. Their handle upon the gifts of the 70’s ’til 90’s paradigm and eclectic non-standardized tastes beyond continue to be a boon to personage, a familiar sort of deal that thrives hottest when going its own way.

Kaleidobolt weren’t always as pumped in the veins as they are today, they’ve been working up a fuss since 2014 or so having began as some kind of spaced heavy psych jam on the fuzzy retro rock spectrum. Their first two LPs explored that sound thoroughly, slowly pulling closer to the mic ’til their third (‘Bitter‘, 2019) struck a different chord, tripling the pace and juicing up their prog dowsed riff-runs with some ass-shaking boogie rock energy. Though they were kinda amped on that record it was still kindred to 70’s heavy psych disillusionment and the stonier side of revivalist sensibilities, a distance from the listener that’d evaporate into the lush froth of their follow up (‘This One Simple Trick‘, 2022). Upon review I’d commented “In finding a bit more of their chill and working with a broader set of progressive/psychedelic rock tools they achieve an uncomplicated yet involved listening experience, further development of signature which bears a uniquely stressed mood and plenty of cross-generational heavy rock blending to keep things varietal and engaging.” signs of a band mastering themselves, finding their way with a very skilled new drummer, and delivering their own wry sense of humor behind the curtain.

“Yet here we are…” — ‘Karakuchi‘ is a very different record wherein Kaleidobolt‘s engine is always running, gears always turning within hyper-active minds and they’re set to hit a rowdier harder rocking current within the space of its nine songs. Beyond the inclusion of side-ending interludes the higher song count is the result of more directly hook driven songs getting to the point quicker and broaching structural variety beyond the ~5 minute strutter about half the time. You’ll find more of this on Side B whereas Side A is spongier, grungier but still carrying some sense of blues rock n’ roll in their step, applying more tuneful stratagem while using more tools from their fat box of ideas. Likely show opener or tide-turner “Tinkerbell” has its own unwilling ‘tude, a mocking protest enveloped in knee-tapping ’til body flailing energumen where garage rock revival and their own proggy, fuzzy sling keep the ratio of tuneful vocal leadership and guitar driven/power trio hurl in prime alignment. The sticker on the front of the sleeve calls this one “hyperkinetic rock” and they’ve delivered on it right out the polyethylene.

Side A is lined up to smoke steady the whole way through but the real juggernaut, the hammer and the sickle of their work comes between “Lights on, Nobody Home” b/w “Coping“. The grunge-era stoner bustle of the former ramps at its Red Fang-worthy chorus with the Lee Dorrian-esque worthy snarl of its verses in such a way that the momentum never wanes. The jangling ’til wrangling stretch through “Coping” is a different beast yet not an unrelated combination of elements, probably the closest semblance of what lessons were learned within ‘This One Simple Trick‘, as they build this bopping, proggy expanse within its initial verses ’til the freakout-unto-resolve in the final third. These songs are more “fun” at face value, sure, but it is the decisive hand to myriad detail which’d stuck with me on repeated listens. Kaleidoscope‘ve got a plan here: Nuke up front and dance through the fallout afterward, or, in this case something about a dry pale ale with a clean finish.

“Play that fucking guitar…” — I don’t know that the mouth-aimed punches are pulled entirely beyond that point but the eclecticism inherent to Kaleidobolt‘s development over the years is emphasized throughout Side B. “Friends of Fire” retains the dreary, punkish 90’s-looking-back feeling of “Lights on, Nobody Home” to some degree but it’ll likely be the fuzzier rumble of “A Chance of a Lifetime” that’ll catch ears best via its vintage guitar tones and the bass-escalated verses on the walk through. The third-act turndown, well-placed bridge, etc. deployed on these songs starts to become predictable here but doesn’t hurt in terms of planting some memorable spin in mind; With four big songs set up front and three shorter/catchier pieces up last ‘Karakuchi‘ manages to fully stretch into their Crimsonian skin without losing all of the hustle presented up front, ending conclusively without draining on the adventure through.

Over the course of five albums Kaleidobolt have successfully moved from their comfortable cloud-set station in the background to a well-staked position in the foreground, embracing increasingly connective and performance-geared nodes ’til their work only becomes more lucid. Though I am so rarely after any amount of “fun” in heavy rock music a strong personality nonetheless carries ‘Karakuchi‘ over the threshold, once again shaking the blood into foam with precision. How long their work sticks in mind notably rests within inventive-yet-traditional songcraft and just how slightly that they’ve needed to bend those rules to flood the ear their own personalized, nuanced station. A high recommendation.

---