Album review: Orange Goblin – Science, Not Fiction

Ben Ward will always a big, burly bastard, but in the run up to Orange Goblin’s 10th album, the legendary frontman decided to ditch the booze and hit the weights in an effort to discover the healthiest version of himself. It shows. The title of Science, Not Fiction may be a reference to the deeper thinking that followed not being constantly sozzled, but its urgent, restless, often psychedelic sound is that of a singer – and his band – in fighting shape, ready to take on this strange new world.

The Fire At The Centre Of The Earth Is Mine revs things immediately into gear. Not just a brilliantly up-tempo bit of Sabbath worship, it's more importantly a seismic statement of self-belief from a band almost 30 years into their journey with no interest on coasting on glories past. (Not) Rocket Science follows up with a side of self-awareness, driving hard into the sort of neck-breaking riffs, fathomless grooves and cosmic imagery that have always been the Goblin’s stock in trade. It’s on the even groovier Ascend The Negative (‘Reclaim your mind, reclaim your time, conquer negativity’), and the jazzy seven-minute epic False Hope Diet that the record really shows its hand, though, channelling OG’s renewed purpose (thanks, also, to incoming bassist Harry Armstrong) into a brilliantly psychedelic experimentalism.

Reinventing the steel is not the objective, of course. As much as the tantalising acid flashbacks to the likes of King Crimson, Pink Floyd and The Beatles are striking focal points, this remains classic Orange Goblin. Heads-down highlight Cemetary Rats already feels like it’ll be part of their live set for years. Gemini (Twins Of Evil) brings the ubiquitous old-school horror worship, albeit with less unbound bloodlust than a sense of spiralling, hypnotic seduction. And although final track End Of Transmission reckons on the (someday) inevitable end of the band, harking back to 27-years-old first LP Frequencies From Planet 10, this is less the sound of an outfit with the end in sight than one riding a new lease of life.

Keeping it uncomplicated, Science, Not Fiction finds Orange Goblin on their strongest, most strident form in over a decade. That’s a fact.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Monster Magnet, Black Sabbath, Motörhead

Science, Not Fiction released on July 19 via Peaceville

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