Slothrust - Parallel Timeline (2021)

While still guided by the distinctively visceral, theatrical intonation of singer, songwriter, and guitarist Leah Wellbaum, Slothrust's fifth album, Parallel Timeline, marks a shift in approach for the core power trio. At the same time lyrics are more self-examining and confident, Wellbaum and bandmates (bassist/producer Kyle Bann and drummer Will Gorin) sharpened guitar arrangements, treating the instrument more like a voice and less like bursts of atmosphere. Its opening track, the wordy "Cranium," even goes so far as to incorporate slinky club undertones and synth bass before breaking out a bluesy guitar solo a little beyond halfway through that was reportedly inspired by Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain." It's not a complete transformation, though, as the group's grungy origins are still represented here. In fact, they soon turn up on the churning, lyrically searching second track, "Once More for the Ocean," the closest thing to an outright indie rock banger on the album. Later, "The Next Curse" embraces metal influences with contributions from Halestorm's Lzzy Hale. The bulk of the record, however, lands somewhere in between, with "Waiting" balancing sections of piano and keys with passages of buzzy guitar and muscular drums while lyrics regret an outburst and turn to nature for coping mechanisms. Whether rock-edged or more reflective and even acoustic-leaning -- as on "A Giant Swallow" and campfire singalong "Parallel Timeline," which closes the album -- songs are consistently catchy, melody-driven, and thoughtful. The result of these tweaks to both production and attitude is something more mature and approachable yet still impassioned, and it's Slothrust's most cohesive record to date.