10,000 Years are a Swedish stoner-metal band from Västerås, formed in 2020. The trio have hardly been idle over the past six years: „Esox Lucifer” is their fourth full-length and fifth release overall, including their debut EP. The kind of stoner metal practiced by 10,000 Years sits firmly on the faster, more aggressive end of the spectrum – a band named after a High on Fire song has a reputation to uphold – but their fascination with all things cosmic extends well beyond the lyrics.
On „Esox Lucifer”, you will find not only lively stoner riffs carrying obvious traces of Motörhead and Slayer, but also plenty of spacey atmosphere, fractured rhythmic ideas, and even a few progressive touches. On their latest album, the trio have altered their trajectory slightly, focusing not only on heavy riffing but also on psychedelic, twisted journeys into outer space. They are still the same likable Swedish stoner-metal crew, though: the production emphasizes both the psychedelic dimension and the weight and grime of the riffs. The songs are short, direct, and to the point, with a little something for fans of both freedom and speed.
Album opener „Beasts of the Northern Wild” immediately pulls the listener into a psychedelic haze. Recordings of animal sounds processed through effects, along with an unhurried bluesy melody, ease you into a pleasant daze. „Pursuit Special” sounds like thrash metal played at a slightly slower pace through a stoner-metal rig: brisk, energetic, and aggressive. There is that characteristic dry, chugging riff work, paired with drums that make it almost impossible to keep your foot still. Then come the more unhinged psychedelic excursions, a tasteful breakdown, and ritualistic, almost inspired passages that give the track several different layers. And damn, does that riffing thicken beautifully as the song goes on.
„Fleur de Sledgehammer” thrives on the contrast between more melodic, almost dreamlike ideas and thick, rumbling heaviness. Whichever side of the riff you focus on, both the melody and the crush are capable of moving you – sometimes physically, sometimes somewhere deeper. The trio are not afraid to move into more lyrical territory here, or to simply let the psychedelia take over completely. „Church of the Red Museum” races forward beautifully, making you want to follow the riff straight into the unknown. The song moves between mid-paced and faster sections, throwing the listener into heavier impacts, crunchier riffs, and a wonderfully intensified wall of sound broken up by a psychedelic guitar melody. The contrast between the pummeling rhythm section, the shouted vocals, and the almost dreamlike lead guitar works remarkably well and gives the imagination plenty to feed on.
„Alien Tactics” has both progressive and psychedelic appeal. Something seems to change every few moments. There are numerous twists and rhythmic breaks, yet some imagination-stirring psychedelic detail always seems to surface – perhaps a little bell in the background, perhaps that melody burrowing its way into your brain. Do not assume, however, that the heaviness disappears. Not a chance. There are plenty of buzzing riffs, but they are constantly interwoven with other ideas. There is even something here for hardcore fans. „Two Million Stones” adds a dose of melancholy to the battering the band has been serving up. The track is noticeably slower and leans heavily into sadness; even its ritualistic psychedelic motif and its more punishing passages carry a strong melancholic undertone. It provides a little breathing room amid the constant bombardment of riffs.
„Paranoidium” works with a more sinister atmosphere, and musically it feels like trying to escape in the middle of a panic attack. I hear sudden accelerations, abrupt turns, and a constant sense of complete disorientation. It is the kind of song that genuinely unsettles the imagination. The album closes with the title track, an ambiguous, contrast-heavy piece that moves between psychedelic expanses and raw, massive riffing, occasionally opening into more melodic passages with a black-metal edge. It is an interesting decision to save the album’s most intense track for last. Instead of winding things down, 10,000 Years accelerate toward the finish and leave the listener with one final surge of energy. Yet the song is not built on physical intensity alone. There is also space to sink into personal emotions and confront something within yourself. At first, the track is intense for the body; eventually, it becomes intense for the mind. A perfect ending to the album.
I really enjoy it when bands add new elements to their style and sound without losing their essence or the ideas that defined them in the first place. That is exactly how „Esox Lucifer” feels to me. On the one hand, it offers new sensations and new sounds I would not necessarily have expected from this band. On the other, we are still dealing with the same Swedish trio, clearly having a blast playing stoner metal just a little faster than the law should probably allow.