Will the Oakland underground suffer the same fate as its culturally scorched sister-city, San Francisco? Psychic Hit says, “Fuck Off.” Erected from the shimmering lawlessness of the East Bay rock and metal scenes, Psychic Hit beckons the listener to come out and play (but don’t forget your whip). Heavy riff-inclined guitars, walloping drums, an undercurrent of synth, and sneering, snarling vocals of the kind you could imagine if Stevie Nicks had had a penchant for psychedelics instead of blow, or if Shocking Blue’s Mariska Veres was possessed by bacchanalian demons. Think early Priest; think Scorpions before they met the CIA. As far as modern comparisons go, Psychic Hit fits neatly into the realm of talent like Lucifer, Hallas, and Kadavar. But think less Euro-pretty perfectionism and more buck-wild, raw Californian conviction. Founded by lead guitarist Andrea Genevieve (Purple Rhinestone Eagle) and vocalist/violinist Ariana Jade (Nik Turner’s Hawkwind), Psychic Hit features bassist Melanie Burkett (Ovvl), drummer Justin Divver (Funeral Chant), with their newest member Jake Palladino (Pins of Light) joining the crew on rhythm guitar and synth. Psychic Hit now presents Solutio, their new album that might just also be your favorite old album. Recorded at San Francisco’s El Studio and Oakland’s Santo Studio, and engineered by Big Business’s Phil Becker and Psychic Hit’s own Justin Divver, Solutio sees the band refining their proto/prog/doom/psych tendencies into a philosopher’s stone of transcendent riffs, druidic opera, and a heartbeat of pure energy. Simultaneously ornate and tough as nails—Psychic Hit are a street corner poet in leather pants, a shot of whiskey with a whiskey chaser, a pastoral landscape with the shepherd chasing his flock as they run off a cliff. Solutio is an album that perfectly suits this historical moment. Solutio is anthemic and orchestral. Headbanging yet cosmic. It’s about love in an age of madness and hysteria. Rebirth in the midst of death. An alchemical solution that’s both heady with nostalgia and thoroughly modern, Solutio is a love letter to Psychic Hit’s influences as well as their postmodern manifesto.