Since the inception of the trio in 2001, they've carved up imposing, yet weirdly cosy monoliths erected in the epic desert of original rock and roll. Pharaoh Overlord's stoner rock klang on the debut is down-to-earth due to sheer weight of the riffs. The light touch and the ease with which Leppänen, Lehtisalo and Westerlund lift the weight of the riffs off the ground and propel them on abysmal orbits works like a magician's trick, a cathartic sleight of hand. In the case of Pharaoh Overlord, the magic endures. Pharaoh Overlord #1 is a stone-cold classic.
