Alicante’s favorite Sons of Light Pyramidal return from Dawn in Space with new transmissions on their follow-up, Frozen Galaxies. Rather than coasting on the vapor trail left by Dawn in Space, Pyramidal re-ignite the boosters, taking their blend of space and psych rock further out—for them and us—by pumping in some flares of prog into the tanks. Frozen Galaxies is still alive with trace elements of rock’s core, but the mixture has been recalibrated. No slouchers before by any means, Pyramidal sound reinvigorated after Dawn. The songs are fiercer, more intense and their playing is pushed deeper. That doesn’t mean it’s jackhammers-on-the-asteroid time. Obvious fans of pioneers such as Hawkwind and more experimental leaning Sabbath, Pyramidal get that heft isn’t about indulgence in distortion or useless bombast. That’s just turning a knob or two. The songs themselves, the structure, is what has the weight. On the conjoined first two cuts, Altar of Delusion World and Beyond the Lost Orbs, Pyramidal take on Arantxa Marín’s sax, playing no small part in the new frenetic slant on Frozen Galaxies. Marín and Pyramidal push the envelope into some prime Hawkwind flavored grind as well as reaching out, and into, some of the unhinged nature of Acid Mothers brand of frayed space/prog rock. The dynamics are more jagged and the pulse oscillates more, with Pyramidal keeping a strong hand on the planets’ bedrock. Beyond the Orbs is far more elongated and drifting, but it has the same ingredients, just redistributed. The stronger emphasis on prog is felt right out of the gate, some moments calling to mind Crimson’s attack on rock among others. Each cut has a definite identity, but they are deeply connected. Not twins, but sharing some parts of the central nervous system. Sons of Light finds the ‘nauts flipping the switch back a notch to some prime, driving space rock. Pyramidal’s strong foothold on their foundation makes a deep footprint here. Wearing their influences on their bell-bottoms as much as their sleeves, Sons of Light is classic in transport, modern in delivery. Depending on your tastes, the more laser-pointed strike of Sons of Light could make it the centerpiece, but its placement after the flurry of the opening duo and before the opus of the title track makes it more the pivot. Pyramidal take the tangents of both, and elongate them on Frozen Galaxies, stretching their legs just shy of 24 minutes. Traces of harder prog are front-loaded on Frozen Galaxies, peppered with some hints of metal that add even more to the mix. Around 5 minutes into the flight, Pyramidal level out, not coasting, but going into a driving chug that carries them through to the end and provides enough thrust for the twist and turns to come. Considering the length of the flight, you’d think they would play to the tailspin, but Pyramidal opt for some surprising moderation that keeps Frozen Galaxies stable, and more importantly, on course for the duration of our flight. Factoring in some sitar from Samuel Riviere, the journey can lighten its payload along the way without floating away or losing direction. Nearing the end, Miguel Rodes’ bubbling bass signals the descent as Pyramidal take their time summing up their ingredients and bringing the mission full circle and back to front. Somewhat of a showcase for Pyramidal, Frozen Galaxies never shows off, despite the lure of indulgence with such a running time. It’s a logical way to join all the parts into a big closing statement without getting long-winded or seemingly not knowing when to stop, tacking on hard noodling at the end to fill time. Pyramidal do fill the time, and fill it well, but they do it without cramming or bloat. Easily shaking of a sophomore slump, Pyramidal bring life to space’s ‘frozen galaxies’ and tundras while injecting themselves with a new vitality, readying themselves for the next launch.
Oceanfire
Italian quartet 
