The first few minutes just sort of drifted by, and I wasn’t sure where BANTORIAK were trying to take things. But somewhere along the way I stopped waiting for a big moment to happen and started enjoying the ride for what it was.
This is one of those albums that works best when you let it play rather than constantly looking for standout tracks. The songs blur together in a good way. There are plenty of riffs, plenty of grooves, but nothing feels like it’s desperately trying to become the album’s signature moment. Instead, everything moves with a laid-back confidence that feels natural and unforced.
The desert rock influence is easy to hear, but it never felt like the band were simply paying tribute to the usual names. There are little details scattered throughout the album that kept catching my attention. Sometimes it was a bluesy guitar phrase, sometimes a psychedelic texture floating around in the background, sometimes a melody that appeared for a minute and then disappeared again before I could fully latch onto it.
What I liked most was how relaxed the whole thing felt. A lot of modern records seem terrified of losing the listener’s attention for even a few seconds. Vol. II doesn’t seem worried about that at all. The band are happy to sit inside a groove and let it breathe. Sometimes that works brilliantly. A few passages pulled me completely into the album’s atmosphere without me even noticing.
At the same time, there were moments where I felt the band could have tightened things up a little. A couple of ideas hang around longer than they need to, and every now and then my attention started to wander. Whether that’s a flaw or part of the charm will probably depend on what you’re looking for. Personally, I didn’t mind it most of the time, though I can see why some listeners might feel differently.
What stayed with me after the album ended wasn’t a particular song or riff. It was the mood. Vol. II has a warm, dusty, late-night feel to it that becomes more appealing the longer you spend with it. It’s not an album that demands your attention. It’s more like an album that quietly keeps you company for an hour and leaves a surprisingly strong impression once it’s gone.
I can see myself coming back to this one when I’m in the right mood. Not because I’m chasing a favourite track, but because I want to spend some more time in the world BANTORIAK created here.
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Released by Argonauta Records on June 19th, 2026
Music source for review – Grand Sounds PR
