King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - “Gamma Knife” Video

If you want to understand how fluid the genre signifier “psych” can be, consider what a vast spectrum of sounds King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have explored throughout their discography. In the last two years the Melbourne ensemble’s output has spanned spazzed-out garage rock, tripped-out blues, and mellowed-out pop among other engaging sounds. And they’ve found yet another iteration of themselves to explore on the new LP they’re announcing today.

Nonagon Infinity might be King Gizzard’s hardest-hitting release. Arriving on the heels of last year’s downright pleasant Paper Mâché Dream Balloon, the new album plunges their sound back into aggressive territory, infusing Sabbath/Motorhead-style hard rock with frantic energy and a cartoonish blast of color. Lead single “Gamma Knife” makes a fine teaser, especially when accompanied by a music video involving monks committing mass ritual suicide. Co-directors Danny Cohen and Jason Galea did a good job capturing the music’s alternately dark and playful spirit, and the band’s acting definitely sells their loopy vision.

But more than most lead singles, “Gamma Knife” is only part of a larger whole. The title Nonagon Infinity refers to the album’s physical properties: There are nine songs, and ATO is pressing the record on nine-sided vinyl — that’s a nonagon, for you non-geometry nerds. Furthermore, the songs flow into each other in a seamless loop that could feasibly continue forever, putting the infinity in Nonagon Infinity. Aside from packaging and/or conceptual exploits, though, it’s just a rad record full of exciting music.