Psych rock has a habit of blooming in the desert, but MAJOR proves that the heaviest fuzz can just as easily sprout from the cobblestones of Regensburg. With their self-titled debut, this German power trio delivers a record that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a slow-moving weather front—dense, electrifying, and impossible to ignore.
Released through Clostridium Records, Major is a confident stride into the deep end of the heavy psych pool. It’s a record built on the holy trinity of volume, repetition, and tone, channeling the spirit of 90s desert sessions through a distinctly European lens.
A Wall of Warmth
There is a physical weight to this album. From the opening seconds of “Time Warp,” the production creates a thick, humid atmosphere that sticks to you. It’s a driving, motorik beast of a track where Joe’s vocals don’t sit on top of the mix—they fight their way through it, echoing like a transmission from a buried bunker.
The band understands that “heavy” isn’t just about gain; it’s about the groove. On tracks like “Venus,” the rhythm section takes the wheel. Marco’s bass tone is wide and woolly, rattling the ribcage while the guitar swirls overhead in clouds of wah-wah and reverb. It’s hypnotic stuff, designed for closed eyes and nodding heads.
The Ritual
The album finds its spiritual center in “Black Madonna.” At over five minutes, it’s a sprawling, doomy pilgrimage that nods to the Sabbathian architects of the genre without sounding like a tribute act. It lumbers forward with a menacing grace, eventually collapsing into a breakdown that feels like the floor dropping out from under you.
In contrast, “Prayer to the Sun” is pure kinetic energy. Hannes hammers the kit with a relentless, tribal ferocity, driving the track forward until it feels like a fever dream. It captures that specific magic of stoner rock: the feeling of movement while standing perfectly still.
By the time the closing track “Golden Cage” arrives, bringing with it a surprisingly catchy, melodic hook, you realize you’ve been locked in a trance for nearly forty minutes.
The Verdict
MAJOR hasn’t reinvented the wheel, but they’ve certainly greased the bearings. This is a debut that celebrates the primal joy of electricity and volume. It’s honest, unpretentious, and deeply satisfying—a perfect soundtrack for long drives and late nights.
If you like your riffs slow, low, and covered in dust, this is one trip you need to take.
Tracklist
- Time Warp
- Venus
- Black Madonna
- Prayer to the Sun
- Final Call
- Breaking Down
- Broken Sky
- Gimme some more
- Graveyard
- Golden Cage
Support the Underground
Listen loud and buy physical:
- Bandcamp: majorrocks.bandcamp.com
- Instagram: @major.band.music
- Facebook: Major Band Music
- Clostridiumrecords: Buy the Vinyl
