Phase IV by Artifacts & Uranium

The Ominous Drone, blogzine:
"Co-released by Riot Season(UK) and Echodelick Records (USA), Artifacts & Uranium returns with all parts intact and the addition of their Japanese counterpart, Mitsuru Tabata.

This release hits hard with groovy bass lines, screaming guitars, and relentless rhythms. At times, the music falls somewhere between space-rock and all-out noise. Right from the outset of “Yatevo,” the walking bass groove lays the foundation for the sonic maelstrom of the guitars, which will persist throughout the six tracks. “Life In The Air Raid” threatens to tear a hole in the time-space continuum. Again, propelled by the relentless bass.

The album never really lets up, but for the slight dub intro to “My Dark Places.” Be ready for the noise; this one is a banger. Although it threatens to go over the edge, the album walks that fine line of control and lack thereof."

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Steve Howe / Outlaws Of The Sun, blogzine:
"Phase IV sees Artifacts & Uranium delivering tracks that are more concise, shorter, sharper and have a clearer structure compared to their last album. The record still has it’s subtle Experimental edge with harsh levels of Psychedelic heaviness but this time the album is fused with moments of Garage Rock, Stoner Rock, Doom Rock, Noise Rock and mind-exploding Sludgy grooves.

The album bursts onto the scene with an off kilter KrautRock energy which perhaps comes more vital when the aggressive fast-paced grooves appear on tracks such as Yateveo, Life In The Air Raid and The Mind Alchemist.

The element of screeching guitars and fast-paced Psychedelic Neo-Psychedelic beats allows Artifacts & Uranium to explore a different style of Garage Rock with sublime extended instrumental jams with the band adding moments of Progressive Jazz Rock interludes. The whole sound is FREAKY and should come with a GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING to advise of diverse HALLUCINOGENIC EFFECTS especially on the following tracks: The Mind Alchemist, Kinetic Flux and My Dark Places.

Phase IV also has a SURREAL and ABSTRACT creative vision which is what I expect with the highly talented musicians involved with this musical project. The band even find the time to venture into Post-Rock aesthetics on the later stages of the album which gives this record a more organic and emotional feel before they add levels of distorted Psychedelic heaviness just for the sheer hell of it.

You'll be surprised by the high amount of epic guitar solos and extended instrumental jams that appear on the album which does have a different feel and sound compared to previous records that Artifacts & Uranium have delivered previously. This allows Artifacts & Uranium with Mitsuru Tabata to deliver another highly satisfying and superbly heavy record that explores the catchiest and most experimental slice of modern day Psych Rock that you don’t experience that often.

Excellent and Highly Recommended."

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From their own dark and unwholesome corner of the UK’s psychedelic netherworld Artifacts & Uranium have created another monster. They’ve now moved up to Phase IV.

This outing sees multi-instrumentalist and sonic explorer Fred Laird (Empty House, Earthling Society) reunite with subsonic maestro Mike Vest (Bong, Drunk In Hell, Mienakunaru, Modoki, Tomoyuki Trio). - And, back from the subs' bench, their ’Pancosmology’ drummer Nick Raybould returns to the fold. Also, as a bonus, they have pulled in their cosmic counterpart from Japan, Mitsuru Tabata.

This four piece incarnation of Artifacts & Uranium make ’Phase IV’ a potent cocktail of beautifully brutal garage rock and dense swamp punk. Cacophonous guitars and radio interference meld with a possessed propulsive rhythm section as baying synths howl at a voodoo moon.

It’s a malevolent beast. Every home should have one.


Review by Outlaws Of The Sun blog:

Psych Rock Collective ARTIFACTS & URANIUM return with their new album Phase IV which sees original members Mike Vest and Fred Laird teaming up with Nick Raybould and legendary musician Mitsuru Tabata from Japan. This project is now called Artifacts & Uranium with Mitsuru Tabata.

Phase IV sees Artifacts & Uranium delivering tracks that are more concise, shorter, sharper and have a clearer structure compared to their last album. The record still has it’s subtle Experimental edge with harsh levels of Psychedelic heaviness but this time the album is fused with moments of Garage Rock, Stoner Rock, Doom Rock, Noise Rock and mind-exploding Sludgy grooves.

The album bursts onto the scene with an off kilter KrautRock energy which perhaps comes more vital when the aggressive fast-paced grooves appear on tracks such as Yateveo, Life In The Air Raid and The Mind Alchemist.

The element of screeching guitars and fast-paced Psychedelic Neo-Psychedelic beats allows Artifacts & Uranium to explore a different style of Garage Rock with sublime extended instrumental jams with the band adding moments of Progressive Jazz Rock interludes. The whole sound is FREAKY and should come with a GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING to advise of diverse HALLUCINOGENIC EFFECTS especially on the following tracks: The Mind Alchemist, Kinetic Flux and My Dark Places.

Phase IV also has a SURREAL and ABSTRACT creative vision which is what I expect with the highly talented musicians involved with this musical project. The band even find the time to venture into Post-Rock aesthetics on the later stages of the album which gives this record a more organic and emotional feel before they add levels of distorted Psychedelic heaviness just for the sheer hell of it.

You'll be surprised by the high amount of epic guitar solos and extended instrumental jams that appear on the album which does have a different feel and sound compared to previous records that Artifacts & Uranium have delivered previously. This allows Artifacts & Uranium with Mitsuru Tabata to deliver another highly satisfying and superbly heavy record that explores the catchiest and most experimental slice of modern day Psych Rock that you don’t experience that often.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe February, 2024

I'm a drummer with various musical entities. Here are some things I'd like to share.

I'm also part of Shropshire electronic combo Thought Bubble and a fine artist.