King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is a band as trippy and
odd as its name might imply.
There's a lot to unpack with this Aussie mob, but first and foremost
one must note how ridicuously prolific they've been
(releasing multiple albums a year, including 5 (!) in 2022
alone, since their formation in 2012),
and the fact that stylistically they are all over the map,
covering psychedelic rock, garage rock, jazz, acid rock,
even new wave electronica (2023's The Silver Cord),
with irreverent and humorous lyrics to match.
They seem unknown to the masses yet apparently draw great crowds
to their shows, which (naturally, given their diverse interests) often
delve into extended jam sessions.
And all this has been done by the same guys, as there has
been only one lineup change over the year, paring from
seven members (including two drummers) to six (losing a drummer).
And, finally, the reason they're here on these pages is that on occasion
(two albums, notably), they've delved into the metal space, in the form
of 2019's Infest The Rat's Nest and
2023's PetroDragonic Apocalypse (full title seen below).
While both of these albums are truly metal (and quite good,
and only vaguely similar to each other), they aren't
a huge stretch from their progressive/jammy roots, but even so,
the fact that they can jump from genre to genre so fluidly is
astounding.
Recent album: Flight b741,
released on August 9, 2024.
