Psychic Mass take us on a trip deep into the shadows of a forgotten era, somewhere between occult rituals, swirling smoke, floors painted with pentagrams and amplifiers pushed well beyond reason. With "Babylon", the Melbourne-based band opens a portal into a dark, fuzz-soaked universe that feels as if it could have crawled straight out of the late sixties or early seventies – a place where the spirits of Black Widow, Hawkwind and Arthur Brown still roam freely.
The original four-track EP already offered a compelling journey, but this expanded DHU Records vinyl edition turns "Babylon" into something much bigger. It feels less like a collection of songs and more like a passage through Psychic Mass' strange and increasingly fascinating world. 'The Dream at the End of Time' opens the gates before 'Beyond Nuit', the title track and 'Aquarius' take their time to stretch out, hypnotise and disappear into the haze. Psychic Mass are not interested in quick hooks or following a predictable path. Instead, these songs slowly reveal themselves, driven by heavy riffs, psychedelic guitars, haunting keyboards and an atmosphere thick enough to cut with a ritual dagger.
There is plenty of seventies spirit running through this album, but Psychic Mass never come across as a simple nostalgia act. The band understands that the magic of that era was not just about vintage equipment or old-fashioned production. It was about creating a mood, opening doors to strange places and occasionally making the listener feel slightly uncomfortable. That dark and mysterious edge is exactly what gives "Babylon" its identity.
The expanded edition adds even more depth. The cover of The Open Mind's 'Magic Potion' (1969) fits so naturally into the band's universe that it almost feels like an original. Meanwhile, 'Temple XIII' and the re-recorded 'Phantasmagoria' connect the album with Psychic Mass' earlier work while helping to turn this release into a far more complete statement.
"Babylon" is a dark trip through occult rock, heavy psych and fuzz-drenched seventies madness. It doesn't try to recreate the past – it summons its ghosts and lets them loose again. And somewhere between the smoke, the riffs and the rituals, Psychic Mass have created a world that is becoming increasingly difficult to leave.
-Helge Neumann
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