Buddy, We Fuck with Ecstatic Vision's 'Raw Rock Fury'

The first time I encountered Ecstatic Vision, they were opening for Enslaved and Yob on a run of 2014 tour dates—and even with YOB's decidedly cosmic vibe, the Philadelphia psych rockers stood out like a tie-dyed thumb. When the four of them swaggered into view, all fringe and leather and wild hair and sly grins, and hopped onstage, it was pretty obvious that some weird rock ' n' roll vibes were about to go down—but I was still wholly unprepared for what happened next. Ecstatic Vision was on fire.

They launched into a full-fledged psychedelic jam rock freakout, and kept the manic energy rolling until the very last very sweaty note. It was spellbinding, and that has surely been a crucial factor in the quartet's building momentum; they released their debut via Relapse a year later, and took their show on the road (even playing Roadburn's hallowed halls).

Now, Ecstatic Vision has returned with Raw Rock Fury, a new full-length with an incredibly apt title that spells out their mission in clear, cocky terms: to bend minds, to warp genres, and to pay tribute to Detroit Rock City's giant-ass footprints on the history of gritty, ballsy rock 'n' roll (with a fuckton of psych rock, Krautrock, Hawkwind worship, and general weirdness chucked in). The album's due out on Relapse come April 7. Strap on in and stream the whole damn thing below.

Ecstatic Vision live:
Apr 15: Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
Apr 16: Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bazaar (w/ Eyehategod)

Kim Kelly is probably furious on Twitter.
Photo by Michael Connor