Noctiluca

Helms Alee's fifth album Noctiluca continues their tradition of blending girthy sludge riffs, deceptively clever compositions, lush instrumentation, and transcendental melodies into a potent standalone sound. Starting with album opener "Interachnid," the band displays their multifaceted approach with eight-armed drum patterns underpinning thunderous walls of fuzz distortion provided by bassist Dana James and guitarist Ben Verellen, with the latter's barrel-chested roar serving as a counterpoint to the siren song vocals provided by Mathenson-Margullis and James.