CONCERT:FREE: Kanaan (NO)

Emerging from an ocean of fuzz like a Kyuss that went to jazz school, instrumental power trio Kanaan are ready with their fourth studio album in as many years. The three prolific young musicians are seemingly everywhere on the Norwegian music scene these days, as members of Mall Girl, Daufødt, JUNO and Vegard & Ivar Band. A diverse selection of bands that display the aptitude of the players, as well as their eclectic musical influences.

Where Kanaan’s former albums have been jazzy and psychedelic explorations, with forays into kraut and free improvisation, the new album Earthbound comes at you, heavier than a ton of bricks. However, even though they wear their stoner rock influences on their sleeve, the music is not a departure from their earlier projects, more of a continuation.

Inspired by bands such as Colour Haze, Hawkwind, Elder, Motorpsycho and Acid Mothers Temple, Earthbound serves up plenty of surprising twists and turns, beautiful and mellow passages and masterful musicianship. Although never flashy, the whole album is a showcase of the three wildly talented musicians as they plow their way through enormous riffs and thunderous grooves.

Searching to perfect their hybrid of heavy rock and psychedelic jazz influences, the band isolated themselves in Halden’s Athletic Sound studios, working day and night to accomplish what became Earthbound, a quantum leap for their sound in terms of sheer heaviness and psychedelic extravaganza compared to their previous albums.