(Digital download and stream available on Bandcamp)Grand Rapids Michigan's Haunted Leather specialize in slow-building, droning psych capable of transporting the listener completely and utterly into a state of hypnotized euphoria. While similar statements could be made about several other bands in these days of psych-rock overload, what separates Haunted Leather is their use of sludgy doom-metal riffs, only minus the devastating, bottom-heavy crunch of bands like Sleep. The music here is still rather heavy and plodding, but I don't think anyone would confuse this with any type of metal.The vocals are mostly mantra-like, there to serve to accentuate the mood more than anything, with the lyrics--those that are discernible, at least--helping to set the adventurous spirit of the album, a true musical journey if there ever was one. But it's not all hallucinatory drones. At times these songs can be quite melodic, falling somewhere in between the 60s-ish psych of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and the heavier psych of The Black Angels, especially on "Midnight's Child" and "Indian Road," two excellent brain-melters among many.The sound quality is actually quite crisp compared to the the super lo-fi sound of most psychedelic indie bands these days, with the noodling leads that weave all around the fuzzed out guitars tickling the brain perfectly, and combining with the slow, hypnotic rhythms in a way that's extremely transportive when you're in the proper mood. You don't need any pharmaceutical assistance, this album will get you "there" all on its own.So--long story short--'Red Road' is absolutely essential for fans of music that takes the listener on an inner space journey. Even if you're not, but are into any of the bands mentioned above, or the droning psych of bands like The Janitors and The Cult of Dom Keller, you just may find this album to have blown your mind as thoroughly as it has mine.