CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL

Lightning strikes twice for Nottingham cult rockers.

Nottingham’s psychedelic proselytisers return with the follow-up to 2016’s excellent debut Is Satan Real?. Their new release is Science Fiction, and it builds on the template of the first album, bringing together the trippy vibe of Jefferson Airplane with the grooves of early Deep Purple. There’s less of the darkness of Is Satan Real? and the overall mood feels much more upbeat and celebratory.

The vocal harmonies are always a treat and lend a gospel influence to their white-wardrobed, cosmic benedictions. That element becomes most prominent in the bluesy The Cards That You’re Playing and Go By The River, where the blend of Hammond organ, guitar and electric cello really capture a classic Summer Of Love sound. Cold Sweat is wonderfully catchy, while Timehole (Gonna Build A Rocket Tonight) recalls the propulsive drive of Steppenwolf.

Not one to be left behind after his previous headlining status,

Satan pops up once more on The

Devil Again, but there’s no sense of the band trying to be menacing or provocative. Instead, the track seems closer to the blues tradition of songs with an infernal theme.