Helen Kelter Skelter – ‘Chroma Crawl’ [EP] [Album Review]

Chroma Crawl, the new EP from Oklahoma’s psych-rock outfit Helen Kelter Skelter, was recorded in an undisclosed church in northwestern Oklahoma City, which although probably not crucial, conveys a sense of mysterious sanctity and is more than likely responsible for the EP’s unrefined resonance.

So far, with their tongue-twister of a name, Helen Kelter Skelter has released an EP and two long players: their self-titled debut and 2018’s Melter, both to decent reviews. The band will release their third album in October, a collection of songs recorded at Breathing Rhythm in Norman, Oklahoma.

Chroma Crawl features five tracks, beginning with “Best Friends,” a song vaguely reminiscent of Deep Purple, crossed with Alice in Chains. The pulsing, driving rhythm supports blurry, lysergic guitars topped by spectral vocals. Before the outro, the harmonics descend to simmering levels and then ramp back up.

Highlights on the EP include “Feel That,” blending hints of surf-rock and punk into a muddy tune full of angular guitars riding a raggedy rhythm. The result is at once visceral, severely grimy, and straightforward – deliciously filthy garage rock.

“Sceptre” rolls out on a carpet of shifting time signatures and mucky guitars flavoured with bluesy tangs. For some reason, “Sceptre” recalls Cream’s “Spoonful,” only darker and sleazier, positively dripping dark grubby energy, like Black Sabbath on steroids.

The last track, “Chill,” might be the best track on the EP because of its tinctures of prog-rock and uncooked washes of black, vibrating energy.

Helen Kelter Skelter, photo by Dylan Johnson Photography

With one foot in the psychedelia of the ’60s and the other foot in the grunged-out ’90s, Helen Kelter Skelter delivers treacly imminence.

Chroma Crawl Track Listing:

1. Best Friends
2. Ship Of Fools
3. Feel That
4. Sceptre
5. Chill

Run Time: 18:52
Release Date: June 16, 2023
Record Label: Horton Records