Borne from lucid visions beyond natural imbibe this debut full-length album from Montréal, Quebéc-based heavy psychedelic rock quintet FANGUS recalls a viridian-tinted realm of psychotropic sleep where the subconscious is tuned loose into ancient heavy rock thrum. ‘Emerald Dream‘ doesn’t attempt to revolutionize the sub-genre so much as provide a distinctly organ-ground and at times occult proto-metallic version of it, offering a first step their own realm. As a strongly representative and well-stylized effort presented in reasonable length this album is undoubtedly approachable but only just enough to speak to potential unlocked rather than outright mastery.

Fangus formed as a quintet mid-2022 featuring at least two folks you might recognize from Lüger and Sons of Arrakis. Their work has since aimed squarely upon a “retro” exaggeration of early 70’s heavy psychedelic rock inspired sounds, pushing a few years past the point of advent (’68) wherein heavy blues and progressive rock still factor in structurally but pieces became doubly active, sophisticating their rhythmus in feature of heavier proto-metallic finish. You’ll find as much on their debut EP (‘Meet the Reaper‘, 2024) but a stonier ruckus than expected which fans of everything from Green Lung to Blood Ceremony would appreciate outright.

The cathedral which ‘Emerald Dream‘ builds isn’t wholly haunted but the mind is is endarkened by occult forces herein. It’d be fair to point to Jon Lord‘s tenure in Deep Purple as a baseline at first glint (re: “Quest for Fire” in particular) but Fangus‘ work is spiritually closer to the Arthur Brown related psychosis of Vincent Crane‘s Atomic Rooster on some level, intimately introspective enough (re: ‘Sea Shanties‘ Side A) to willingly wander into a bad trip when called for. This line of thought is unhealthily stoked by a fellowe named Chub and the action his Hammond-type organ tone(s) bring to the first impression lain. His work stood loudly on the band’s first EP but becomes increasingly vital on this debut LP, often outmoding vocal presence.

Knotted-up quasi vintage guitar tones, run-heavy ranting organ accompaniment and vocalist Jim Laflamme‘s soulfully pained register collide into frustrated scenes of physical energy and freeing muse as the first two songs on ‘Emerald Dream‘ lay out the full spread. They’ve nailed the loose swung groove of heavy psychedelic rock at its most sincere point of drug-induced psychosis as a jack-of-all-trades moreso than a singularly voiced entity off the bat. “Pyre of Love” is practically spat from their mouths as it fires up but once the church organ trampling runs begin to trade and enlace with lead guitars the energy of Fangus‘ ideal feels inspired if not revisionist in spiritus. It never feels like they’re trying to write Ghost songs, at least.

By virtue of its dispossessed vocal performances and a lingering arabesque transitional melodic arc “Psychoid Telepath” is the first spark of patient spiritualized personae on hand here. Some of the keyboard work in the middle third of the song hits like one of Motoi Sakaruba‘s 2000’s-era Star Ocean battle themes (esp. development beyond ~2:40 minutes in) but this’d only helped to endear on the ride through. The most clutch chunk of song Fangus provide here is shared between “Shapeshifter” and “Time Gambler”. The former particularly smokes in its own right as one of the catchier pieces on ‘Emerald Dream‘, helping to revive interest beyond the sleepier lost focus of instrumental title track “Emerald Dream”.

A few of these pieces could’ve used more time to cook, hit a few more curveballs or found some viable expansion of the melody on hand in order to fully stick their landing… but overall Fangus‘ve made clear what they’re about on the path through. In spite of its first-final draft status ‘Emerald Dream‘ largely hits, stirs it up for an easygoing ~35 minutes and leaves me stoked on what refinement is to come with these sensibilities on track. I’d say if they’re losing you by the mid-point hang around for the final third before hitting eject. A moderately high recommendation.

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