This 3LP live album from improvisational psychedelic legends Acid Mothers Temple documents a wonderfully heavy 4/20 set. As perhaps their longest running and hardest rocking lineup, this incarnation of the band is particularly suited to the task. They’re very aware of the holiday and the recording begins with the announcement that “today is 4/20, so please, high on!” before launching into “Born Free, Stone Free,” from that year’s studio LP In Search Of Lost Divine Arc.

I think of this lineup as a middle period AMT and it produced some their most popular records. The core of the group is legendary speed guru guitarist Makoto Kawbata and mysterious synth wizard Higashi Hiroshi. They are joined by longtime members Tsuyama Atsushi on bass and vocals (also of blog favorites Omoide Hatoba and many many more) and drummer Shimura Koji (longtime collaborator and the heaviest drummer they’ve ever had.) Lastly there’s the very exciting addition of Tabata Mitsuru on second guitar and synth (best known for the truly legendary noise rock supergroup Zeni Geva)

This era is responsible for some of their most iconic and ambitious records and played sets that learned heavy, fast and progressive. This 4/20 set stands out as an instantly satisfying performance rooted in classic, heavy, guitar driven space rock and metal. There’s a lot less noise and extreme experimentation and more classic fuzz and drone rock riffage, perfectly completed with the half chanted vocals that this lineup was known for. Relatively speaking, Live In New Haven is a straightforward rock-n-roll focused set for this often avant-garde collective.

The opening song is followed by another selection from the album they were touring, the title track “In Search Of Lost Divine Arc.” Another very bluesy Motorhead/Hawkwind kind of number with massive guitar rifts and shifting interplay from an organ-like synth and Higashis sweeping electronic drones. Only at the very end of this 17 minute track do they begin to form a real characteristic AMT wall of sound. Even then it’s pretty clean and restrained, with Kojis heavy metal drumming really anchoring the group. After that, the centerpieces of the set begins: a 30 minute Pink Lady Lemonade > OM Riff From The Melting Paraiso U.F.O > Pink Lady Lemonade.

So many versions of this legendary song, but this is an exemplary performance that only this deeply experienced lineup could deliver. They start with a very clean very intricate guitar and bass jam before the iconic riff enters. I really love the classic psych-rock treatment that PLLs from this era have. I’m a huge fan of the current lineup and performances of this song have gone in real disco/krautrock places under it’s direction. That’s very in keeping with the landscape of improvised and psychedelic music right now and new, largely younger AMT continues to be a band at the cutting edge. This 2013 performance on the other hand is as deeply honed and well worn as the band has ever been. The core four had played together for decades and were a year (and several albums) into the tenure of guitarist Tabata Mitsuru; an already extremely accomplished musician and formidable guitarist.

The playing on this track is so impressive and visceral and LOUD. The improvisation is telepathic and when paired with the incredible skill and seemingly limitless energy it makes maximalist music that washes over you, all encompassing. After a solid 15 minutes of this they bring in the OM Riff from 2012s now classic IAO Chant From The Melting Paradise Underground Freak Out (shout out to Riot Season Records.) Keen heads will spot that this track is an AMT interpretation of a song by 70s psychedelic gods Gong called “Om Riff/Master Builder.” It’s a classy jam on a favorite by their prog rock heroes and it keeps the set firmly in “70s psychedelic rock” territory.

The second to last song is a groovy little version of one of my favorite songs, “Cometary Orbital Drive.” It’s a fairly tame rendition of the song but it’s got some really pleasing harmonic riffs happening and it makes for a really upbeat and almost post-punk track. This builds to their close with the full throttle face melter “Space Speed Suicide” which is played as close to the record as they’re capable of for a band which famously doesn’t practice. 6 solid minutes of mosh-worthy shredding and a more intense and satisfying closer than most bands would be able to play after such a grueling set.

High On New Heaven, Live In New Haven is great first AMT live album to hear. It’s also a good record to put on when you’re looking for something very intense and psychedelic but not too experimental or deconstructed. This was a great set and its a phenomenal recording as well as a nice pressing across 3 LPs.