AAWKS – On Through the Sky Maze
Release Date: 2nd May 2025
Label: Black Throne Productions
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom, Stoner.
FFO: Fu Manchu, I am Low, Electric Wizard.
Review By: Paul Cairney
Canadian fuzzy doomsters AAWKS released their debut full-length in 2022, the well-received ‘Heavy on the Cosmic’, and On Through the Sky Maze is their sophomore album. Using spoken word sections, On Through the Sky Maze is heavy on the occult, bringing a sense of mysticism to their doomy riffs. This allows for an immersive experience, almost bringing a concept-album feel.
AAWKS have delivered an album that doesn’t fall into some typical doom failings. It is under 50 minutes with 9 tracks. Only the excellent album opener, ‘Celestial Magick’ lasts over 6 minutes, so for doom songs, they can officially be classified as ‘short’. The opening track is a psychedelic trip will fuzz-laden riffs and demonic growls. It is catchy, but you won’t know why. A good start!
Vocally, there is a lack of dynamism across the album. However, when the growls, the ‘eurghs’, are inserted, it does bring relief. Fortunately, the tone and vocal delivery does suit the tracks, so the lacking features are not overtly noticeable all the time, but at times you are aware.
The high-points of the album soar. ‘Wandering Supergiants’ features the strongest vocal and is a melodic dream of a doom track. It straddles glory and touches the sun, singeing its middle finger. ‘Cursed Soul’ also stands out due to its more melodic nature. Closing track, ‘Sky Maze’, drags the album kicking and screaming to a close, leaving a sense of disappointment that the journey is over. Fortunately, the repeat button is never far away.
On Through the Sky Maze has flaws, it is not a perfect album. But these flaws are managed and mitigated with big riffs, well-placed growls and by the albums sense of doom style! It grabs you in a stealthy manner, and you are not aware how much you are enjoying it until it ends.
Rumour has it that Trump wants Canada as the next state so that AAWKS can become an American band… or perhaps I started this rumour myself.
(4 / 5)
