This album is something to be lamented on; deserving to be talked in the highest of praises for its imagery and world building.

If you were to tell me that the British art punk band HMLTD were to release a rock opera about the overtaking of England by a parasitic worm, I wouldn’t have battered an eye lid. The five-piece from London excel in the realm of camp, exciting, ostentatious sounds and stand individual inside the belly of UK music. Why wouldn’t  they make an album based on a parasitic worm?

The second album appears to be a dreaded mountain to climb for bands. Was the first album a fluke or have they really got the gusto to go one up? Meanwhile, it feels as if the group didn’t tackle it from the angle of a feat to be conquered and instead saw it more as an opportunity to build upon the enthralling theatrics of the first album. For guillotines, tomato throwing ,medieval vibes- look no further. 

‘Wrymlands’ dips its toes into multiple genres for this overall beast of a conceptual effort, easily the best album you’ll hear based one a parasitic worm. The large sounding album is aided with the accompaniment of a gospel choir and a 16-piece string section that makes the album something to be performed in theatre halls. 

We’re met with acapella build-up of the intro track, setting up the world that this album is about to immerse us in. Staggered voices add to the narrative before the introduction of a shrieking guitar and all harmony is abandoned as the cohesive blend between the end of the first track and the beginning of the second track is melded by sweeping jazz piano chords and. Ah, yes, welcome to ‘Wrymlands’.

It's easy to give into the realm of this alternative England with luscious lyrics from lead vocalist Henry Spychalski depicting an overtaken country, with a biblical quality to the tales that take place.

Don’t fall fool to the preconceptions of a conceptual album making you believe that it’s devoid from sincerity and emotion. For its fun and camp moments are supported with honesty and earnest relatability. The balladlike track ‘Days’ captures an introspective moment of longing and is proof that at in the end of times, love remains.

Although based in a strong concept, it’s also not a stretch to draw parallels between this fictional world created within these nine tracks and our modern day. Take the track ‘Saddest Worm Ever’, with the refraining lyrics ‘Power gets you high’ mirroring the forever failing powers that be.

The gospel sounding closing track  ‘Lay Me Down’ splays out a demanding organ performance and sweet-sounding vocals that perfectly shut the chapter on this epic tale of overcoming and take down at something that looms larger than you.

I’m not going to pretend upon first listen that I can recite the entirety of this worm lore and world, which means that revisiting this album will probably result in a richer appreciation and a higher mental ranking in the album of the year list that keeps on surprising me. For the efforts of Henry Spychalski,  Duc Peterman, Nico Mohnblatt, Achilleas Sarantaris and keyboardist Seth Evans, this album is something to be lamented on; deserving to be talked in the highest of praises and for its imagery and world building, dissected to death.