Ephemeral is the debut album by Blue Heron, straight out of the deserts of New Mexico. Right off the bat, this is a record that is the intersection between stoner rock, sludge, doom, heavy psych and post-metal, but somehow transcending any easy categorization, instead opting for the dredge of forebears such as The Melvins, Kyuss, and Audioslave. Indeed, the album title could be talking about the guitar tone. It feels like listening to a heavy band in the middle of a sandstorm, an effect that is at first intriguing but over time captivating. Tone alone does not a great album make, which is why it’s so important to point to the vocals on Ephemeral. The vocal work is impressive, carrying notes and conveying emotion in the parlance and style of yesteryear greats like Robert Plant or Ozzy Osbou...