Secret Birds are the revolving-cast creation of Brisbane’s D. Black (ex-On/Ox), who also produced this wicked debut album. Wielding guitars and Moog, he’s joined here by a bassist, drummer, and keyboardist, as well as auxiliary personnel. When six songs total 45 minutes, you know it’s going to be a heady ride, and the opening instrumental ‘Zone In/7th Pillar’ introduces crushing doom-psych proceeding at the pace of molasses. The fever lifts a bit with ‘Lame Child’, which pairs acoustic guitar and a wooly electric lead with the innocent, mantra-like vocals of guest Breannen Stanbridge.
As if heralded by that hint of sweetness, the title track is rooted in babbling, old-world folk picking. Any respite is brief, though, as the final three tracks dig their heels in for squealing, churning, post-Sabbath jams. Apart from ‘Lame Child’, the entire album is instrumental, lending another layer of surrealism to the garage- and metal-informed psych sprawl. The connecting thread is always Black’s lead guitar, towering over each song with the conviction of a world-class conductor. Distortion and feedback are used to great effect, meanwhile, and the rhythm section quietly anchors these protracted excursions.
Nothing terribly new is being achieved – or even attempted – with Asleep On The Dragon, but Secret Birds succeed at opening a gateway to another world while nodding to various musical heroes of yore.
Doug Wallen
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