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Dark Fog - The Ultimate Cult of Psychedelic Psychosis
Review by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com)
Original Sound Recordings
Release date: February 14, 2007

Dark Fog's debut, Cosmic Tone, had a love of ethereal, languid riffs and an overall sound that was reminiscent of Dead Meadow. What separated the former from the latter was a darker tone, a sort of seediness that bordered on psychosis.

With The Ultimate Cult of Psychedelic Psychosis, the Chicago band embraces that spirit even more and further distances themselves from that overt Dead Meadow sound. There are still common traits between the two – mainly lilting, shoe gazer vocals that will probably be the deal breaker for most – but Dark Fog is by far a heavier band.

The heaviness is twofold. First its the music itself. On a song like “Out of My Mind,” Dark Fog shakes off the lethargy and comes off as a sort of psychedelic punk band, and they bring some mammoth Sabbath crunch to “Color Eyes” and “Into the Light.” With “Andromeda,” they highlight the other facet of the heaviness. There's a desolate, sparse grimness to The Ultimate Cult, and Dark Fog lays it on thick enough to make it almost suffocating.

The dreariness of The Ultimate Cult of Psychedelic Psychosis gets to be a bit much at times, but overall I thought this was a fine follow-up to Cosmic Tone. They've grown as a band and are definitely worth checking out.

Accolades for
Cosmic Tone

Dark Fog’s sound is more rooted in classic '60s psychedelic rock. The shoe gazing crowd will be attracted to the languid coating of Cosmic Tone’s seven tracks, but underneath that façade is a darker spirit, one that channels the acid-induced madness of early Pink Floyd. Because the four piece play songs with repetitive, mesmerizing riffs, it’s easy for the first six tracks to flow as one piece. But they gradually unfold into their own entities, each having a distinct feel and sound. If you picked up their 2004 self-titled 7”, you’ll have somewhat of an idea as to what Dark Fog is all about, but it’s really just a taste. Cosmic Tone is recommended for those searching for a new trip down old paths.

Arzgarth
StonerRock.com

www.Monolilth.gr

When was the last time you fell absolutely in love with a record from the very first note? Yep that’s right, listening to the Dark Fog debut reminded me what love at first sight means.

Dark Fog hail from Chicago, USA yet their sound leans heavily on the other side of the pond. The British shoegaze scene meets the lords of space aka HAWKWIND and the result is mind-boggling beyond expectations. OK, there’s an obvious debt towards the Detroit high energy rock scene of the 60’s and 70’s as well. The riffs are tense and trippy as hell, the rhythms simple yet effective and the voice hypnotising just like it should. In general it is very hard not to lose yourself in a warped trip of psychotic dementia after a couple of listens. Distinguishing one song from another is tricky as the record flows perfectly for 33 minutes but paying closer attention will give you more satisfaction. There are lengthy musical passages with distorted, phased guitars that will go wafting through the purple haze of your mind. The swirling strings coupled with Ray Donato’s eerie vocals help transform “The Reason” into a masterpiece, with enough Spacemen 3 references to fill a doctoral publication. The light and airy swaying melody on “Carmel Covering” makes it the perfect single and opening introduction to the project. The rest are fuzzed out, driving, space rock songs vastly influenced by the Hawkwind legacy, pervaded though by a shoegaze aroma underneath the layers of guitars that makes everything suitably mellow and melting in the end. Those who enjoy watching the same crack in the floor for extended periods of time should like this.

Dark Fog’s debut comes recommended to those who like their heavy psych burnt and melting. Your senses will certainly be working overtime experiencing one of the year’s finest and most celebrating releases.

RegularPaul , Monolilth.gr

DARK FOG Cosmic Tone (Original Sound Recordings)
Look past the garish, whooah-I'm-trippin'-now psychedelic cover art of Dark Fog's Cosmic Tone and you'll find a quite moody and marvellous and, yes, psychedelic debut album from this Chicago-land band, who've loaded up on trippy guitar effects and super spaced-out vocals to produce this hypnotic 33 minute dose of stoner/psych shoegazer bliss. Some parts are hushed and mellow, others Deetroit drivin', chugging along with nods to Pink Floyd, Spacemen Three, and Hawkwind... we'd also compare these guys favorably to such contemporary comrades-in-arms as Pharaoh Overlord, Acid Mothers Temple, and Dead Meadow. It's heavy (in that "heavy, maaan" way that we differentiate from, like, doom metal heaviness, such as that practiced by labelmates Buried At Sea), with lot of fuzz and drone but definitely also has a lighter, melodic side that makes this swirling dark fog seem rather welcoming, more fragrant than miasmic, redolent of aromatic smoke and suffused with a gentle glow. Recommended.

Allan’s Favorites at AquariusRecords.org

“ Whatever your starting point, if you like mind expanding psychedelic music, you owe it to yourself to make it down to The Lucky Dog Music Hall when they pull into town next Thursday.”

“ Their music has been described as a mix between something you can close your eyes and float away with and the soundtrack to a dark ominous undercurrent. “(You Know) The Reason “ opens the new disc, that follows a fairly successful three-song 45. “The song started like an early Pink Floyd tune and became a very loose skeletal song we can expand on live,” says Donato, who added the flying sound of theremin into the groups musical mix. “It definitely triggers people and can pull their imaginations in different directions.” The mind-altering back cover art for “Cosmic Tone” resembles the Red Crayola’s Parable of Arable Land album with Donato’s artistic creations making you work to figure out the song titles.”

Taken from the June 30 th issue of Worcester Magazine, article by Brian Glasgow.

Opener “(You Know) The Reason” from Dark Fog’s Cosmic Tone is an initial pleasing, welcome rush of psychedelic fresh air that whets the listener’s appetite. Alas, the same song (under different titles) appears repeated at least twice. C’mon guys, even the lamest acid casualty recognizes the need to change tempos and do more than merely repeat a few words to make a song. But credit their genius where it is due: brilliant closing cut “Caramel Covering” shows Fog are among the few who understand surf and psychedelia are but two sides of the same rock coin. (kevin@darkfog.net)
– David C. Eldredge IL Entertainer