Kal-El - Astral Voyager Vol. 1

Kal-El is a stoner rock/doom metal band from Norway, who formed in 2021.  Their latest album, “Astral Voyager Vol. 1” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released three EPs and a live album.

This is the first time I’m hearing Kal-El’s brand of doom—and it has me completely enthralled.   From the first song to the last, this 42 minute spacey epic is wholly impressive. While rooted in stoner elements, the band includes a lot more in their sound.  Inside these six tracks, hard rock, heavy metal, and psychedelic merge seamlessly with groovy, fuzzed-drenched doom on top of all sci-fi themes. 

Their bass-heavy sound and massive, downtuned guitars make every song a dense exploration into space itself.  It’s quite atmospheric and imaginative while being more gripping and catchy than music of this depth usually is.  Josh (Guitar), Doffy (Guitar), and Knutsen (Bass) bring crushing doom to the table even as they cast out sonic vibrations among soundscapes.  Bjudas’ holds down the foundation with his own sprawling performance, making himself at home among the band’s myriad approaches.  Captain’s vocals are clean but emotional and soaring—he easily towers over the massive music with ease.  

The band has a knack for world building, letting the music act as storytellers as well.  The way the guitars build up the opening moments of the title track is nothing short of special.  Once the whole band joins, the song becomes a space dirgy, laced with catchy melodies before spiraling down into a riff fest.  The Captain’s vocals offer up a catchy chorus that took days to leave my head.  Kal-El has managed to combine such a sprawling, adventurous sound with songs that are truly memorable and this opening song fires right out of the gate.  It only gets better from here.

“B.T.D.S.C.” is a more immediate track but a welcomed change of pace from the first song, as it helps kick off the album’s flow early on.  The drums in particular hit pretty hard, a steady performance that keeps the song on its toes.  The drums are both groovy yet melodic but offer more than enough moments of a heavier style, acting as a bridge between the other moments.  The guitar solo after the 4 minute mark is fantastic, fitting right at home with the sci-fi atmosphere yet offering a grounded approach that never lets the listener forget that the band rocks hard.

The band doubles down on the riffs with the behemoth that is “Void Cleaner.”  If the first minute of the song doesn’t get your fist pumping and your head banging then you’re probably a zombie.  Suck to be you, nerd.  The vocal patterns are catchy as hell too.  My favorite part has to be at the 3:19 mark where the drums and bass lay down a performance that’s the soundtrack for being crushed by a planet.  

The band uses “Cloud Walker,” to bring out their more atmospheric, spacey elements.  The slow psychedelic guitars and fuzzy bass melt the brain then the chorus steam rolls over it.  The first four minutes are probably what it feels like to be space walking while high off your ass.  After that, the song gets more intense with the riffs that back up the solo.

You want more groove? What, you mean the previous four songs didn’t have ENOUGH?  Well your insatiable ass will surely be filled with “Dilithium?”  It goes for days, one slick riff after another.  Spacey jams come alive after the four minute mark, the band pulling my ears through a void that mesmerizes me even while it pulls me apart.  The song ends on a high note when it visits the chorus once more.

The final song, “Cosmic Sailor,” might just be my favorite on the album.  It has such a cool feel to it, it’s hard to explain.  I feel like it’s a good companion piece of the opening song, book ending the album with two awesome tracks.   The bass goes hard on this song, the fuzz entering my body for a total take over.  The band hits all the right notes on this one, a true culmination of the album’s sound.  The mid section builds up tension and it breaks at the 3:55 mark that is riffs, riffs, and more riffs.  The solo that follows is short but sweet, feeling right at home in the fabric of the song.

Kal-El’s “Astral Voyager Vol. 1” is a trippy journey through the cosmos that’s as heavy as it is psychoactive.  I recommend this to any fan of this style but even if you aren’t really into this normally, the album still offers enough to give it a chance.  As for me, I’m an instant fan and can’t wait to see what Vol. 2 brings. 

Rating: Excellent