Band:	Alunah
Album:	Fever Dream
Style:	Doom metal, Stoner metal
Release date:	September 20, 2024
A review by:	F3ynman

01. Never Too Late
02. Trickster Of Time
03. Fever Dream
04. Hazy Jane
05. Sacred Grooves
06. Celestial
07. The Odyssey
08. Far From Reality
09. I've Paid The Price

A heavy psych swansong for a dreamy voice.

Alunah are a UK band who have been putting out soothing, psychedelic stoner rock since 2006. My introduction to the band was, however, far more recent: via their 2022 album Strange Machine. Now, two years later, Alunah offer their next batch of catchy and hazy rock in the form of Fever Dream.

This album releases only a few weeks after the unfortunate news that their talented vocalist Sian Greenaway has decided to leave the band. In spite of this decision, or perhaps because of it, Sian Greenaway gives her best performance for Alunah on Fever Dream with a very versatile approach, switching between soulful vocalizing, high-pitched cries, and energetic singing that matches the catchy, instrumental rhythm.

Overall, when comparing Fever Dream with its predecessor, I'd say that while both albums infuse their listeners with fun and pleasant energy, Strange Machine focused more on the calm, entrancing ambience, whereas Fever Dream offers a lot more triumphant rock riffs. That's not to say the album is pure hard rock; it strikes a nice balance of various paces and moods. The groovy guitar sections and enticing singing on songs like “Hazy Jane” and “Far From Reality” are met with melancholic blues on “Trickster Of Time”, hypnotic, Middle-Eastern-influenced atmosphere on “Sacred Grooves”, and guest piano playing to accompany especially emotional vocals on the final track.

In fact, all the different instrumental sounds that the band offer are neatly summarized on the short interlude “Celestial”, which showcases a variety of tranquil flute playing, progressive guitar solos, and chunky, groovy riffing. With these elements, spearheaded by the exceptional performance of the vocalist, Alunah have succeeded in producing another worthy installment in their discography of entertaining stoner rock.