Formed in the mid-’90s in the sleepy town of Borlänge, Swedish foursome DOZER spearheaded the first wave of European-style stoner/desert rock, an impactful fusion of proto-metal, riff-rock and punk that blasted forth in response to the tectonic heft and sun-baked fuzz of American bands Kyuss and Fu Manchu.
Now, more than a decade since their last outing, Dozer return with an impassioned, amp-splitting rumble of a record that will righteously invigorate a scene and style that’s more vital than ever, and which they themselves were instrumental in helping launch.
Drifting in the Endless Void is packed to the rafters with dense instrumentation, arena-ready melodies, and contemplative restraint. Dozer still brings the tumultuous churn that longtime fans expect, but their sound has become a gravitational mass that also pulls in massive sludge, fuzzed-out doom, space-tripping grooves, red-eyed psychedelics, and whatever else they find floating in the vast cosmic expanse.
Across the record’s seven songs, Dozer moves seamlessly from furious whirlwinds to spaced-out dirge, from deceptive simplicity to polyrhythmic complexity, and from pastoral prog to immense yet catchy modern metal.
Dozer’s return to the musical landscape they helped shape is cause enough for celebration, but the explosive playing and fiery purpose is what makes Drifting in the Endless Void a truly unmissable experience. With age and time come wisdom and pain, and you can hear both screaming through in the grit and determination of every rough-hewn riff and tumbling fill. Dozer continues to sketch a desert that is entirely their own, and we are lucky to walk in their wake.
