BONGTOWER turn Sergei Parajanov inspiration into psychedelic stoner-doom on The Color of Pomegranates

BONGTOWER release The Color of Pomegranates on 10 May, a conceptual psychedelic stoner-doom album inspired by Sergei Parajanov’s 1969 film of the same name. While this sits heavier than a typical indie-rock release, it belongs in the wider independent underground conversation because of its strongly conceptual approach and Bandcamp-driven release model.

The album temporarily steps away from the band’s earlier cosmic-odyssey themes and instead enters a world of Armenian poetic imagery, memory, religion, childhood, exile, passion and tragedy. The tracklist includes Sing, Sayat Nova, Akhpat, The Demon Of Passion, Golden Ball, Exile’s Heart, The Well and Die. The available track Sayat Nova points toward a record that wants to be more than riff worship.

It uses heavy, hypnotic textures to enter a symbolic and cinematic space, translating visual art into slow-burning sound. For listeners who like stoner rock, doom, psych and conceptual underground albums, The Color of Pomegranates is one of the more unusual 10 May releases. It is not background music. It asks listeners to enter a visual world, then lets the guitars darken the room around them. Stream/buy: https://bongtower.bandcamp.com/album/the-color-of-pomegranates