One of the undoubted highlights of last month’s doom-laden ATP Nightmare Before Christmas was the performance of Dylan Carlson’s Earth. Having exhausted myself by running around Butlin’s like a five-year-old - ah, those water slides - I slumped against a wall towards the back, letting the vibrations from those colossal guitar chords buzz their way into my head. They were debuting new songs from their then forthcoming new album The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull, and it was immediately apparent that these were rich and languid epics increasingly-far removed from their metal past.

I just about managed to contain that childlike excitement for as long as it took to get my hands on a copy, but can do so no longer. From the second that “Omens and Portents I” rumbles from the speakers like Link Wray playing in treacle, to the gradual fade-out of the title track amidst Indian drones, this is a record to be immersed in. In between these towering bookends, there is a surprisingly (well, until you realise that Bill Frisell features on guitar) jazzy feel, a bit post-rock even: “Omens and Portents II” reminds me of a tortoise-paced Tortoise. That slow pace makes the album feel huge, chords decay into the vast spaces of a sprawling American landscape; it can’t fail to take your breath away.

I have to recommend that you reach into that lion’s skull, grab a handful of the honey therein, smear it all over your naked body, and head for the desert. Further instruction in this matter can be obtained from Southern Lord from February 2008.