Creating an oozing, futuristic, and punchy psychedelic rock sound all their own, Indianapolis-based band Moon Goons have aptly dubbed their sound as “Goblin-prog.”
Their new album, Lady of Many Faces, features eight tracks of sludgy prog-rock with classic metal influences along with innovative takes on the genre. The band’s third full-length album hit streaming services earlier this year on September 21st, and is set to be released on vinyl this Saturday, November 9th via Romanus Records.
Each track on the new record blends seamlessly into the next, inviting listeners into their exciting goblin-rock world. Inspired by the dreams of keyboardist Brook Rice and co-written with vocalist and guitarist Corey Standifer, each song takes on a new character with distinctive vocal stylings amid the seeping psych-rock instrumentals.
Released earlier this year as a single, the album’s opening track, “Larvae Lamp,” is punchy and fast-paced right out of the gate. Reminiscent of metal pioneers like Black Sabbath, the instrumental is sludgy and gothic, with lyrics about oozing slime, flesh, and swarming flies — a song that might conjure images of The Silence of the Lambs. The track’s music video features a performance from the band drenched in colorful filters and interspersed with various images of a man with a painted face lipsynching along.
On the alliterative track “Hidden Hermit of The Hills,” Standifer takes on the character of a troll, with grumbling vocals amidst a grungy instrumental. Midway through, the track shifts sonically into a softer, jaunty medieval ballad, later to return to its original harsh and dense sound.
Their August single, “Ego Feeder,” delivers a dynamic speed-metal track about feeding into delusions and false positivity. With heavily reverbed vocals and guitar, Standifer sings, “Ego feeder / I am you and you are me.” The song flirts with some more indie rock elements with its jangly yet distorted semi-psych guitar.
The album’s closing song and title track features nearly eight minutes of eerie synths and bold instrumentals. The intro — spanning for over a minute — builds from mellow and ambient into a chaotic overlay of vocals and wicked guitar. The epic and soaring track is the pinnacle of the group’s metal and prog-rock influence, with dramatic, grumbling vocals and multiple tone shifts. “The Lady of Many Faces” is a sonic journey and a fittingly dramatic conclusion to the album.
The four-piece band is composed of Standifer, Rice, bassist David Kearns, and drummer Jacob Kozlowski. Since they formed in 2018, Moon Goons have performed hundreds of shows in the Midwest and beyond. Assisted by visual artist Charlie Stults, the group’s live shows feature colorful light shows, with liquid psychedelic visuals painting the band as they perform, creating an immersive sensory experience.
Blending original psychedelic and progressive rock elements with thematic and stylistic touches all their own, Moon Goons deliver a ghoulishly unique sound that will take you from an eerie medieval setting, to outer space, and in between. Keep an eye out for the vinyl come Saturday.
