IBLISS - Bintang Fajar (Cassette)

Since the release of their debut album, Demonic, Her, in 2020, Malaysia's IBLISS have quickly become a cult name in the stoner doom scene. Downtuned, drugged-out, and DARK, IBLISS don't stray from the original stoner doom template as laid out by earliest Electric Wizard and Sleep - nor do they need to, when the stuff/snuff's this potent.

IBLISS proved as much with their first record for HELTER SKELTER, last year's (((Unholy))) EP, and now they return with their second full-length. Titled Bintang Fajar, here do the power-trio display the full fathom of their literally weighty sound. Indeed, the tone across Bintang Fajar is absolutely FAT - both guitar and bass and even drums slap and sludge in a slovenly manner, filthy and fucking HEAVY - but IBLISS meld those mesmerizing sonics to their most dynamic songwriting to date. For sure, they still can doom on with the best of them (as well as stone, of course), but especially with the well-time appearance of organ peeking through that fat, there's a spacier and even-bluesier aspect here; just witness the creepy one-two punch of "Sold Your Soul to the Devil" and "Flower Ov Evil." Thankfully, IBLISS know to keep the black-drug rumble going and going and going, maximizing immersion and sucking you down into their still-demonic den of iniquity: six songs in 40 minutes, perfect for sparking up and dropping out.

With an album title translated to English as "Morning Star," it's perhaps no surprise that IBLISS have delivered their spaciest and most occult record yet with Bintang Fajar.