The Royal Dead take a detour from their pyschobilly roots. The Denver band hasn’t lost its dark outlook, though, on the moody and atmospheric “Dark Harvest.”
The big, Earth-moving sounds on Borknagar’s Urd carry oversize themes as well, from planetary creation to cosmic unrest. “Roots” is among the many bright spots.
Don’t let the term “neo-shoegaze” fool you. The Bay Area crew will lower your blood pressure in the best way possible with the Cocteau Twins-like hum of “Hide.”