{"id":495599,"date":"2025-10-13T07:43:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T07:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/495599\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T07:43:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T07:43:13","slug":"review-khan-that-fair-and-warlike-form-return-to-dust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/495599\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Khan – That Fair and Warlike Form \/\/ Return to Dust"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published by Cory<\/strong><\/a> on October 12, 2025October 12, 2025<\/p>\n

\"\"Artwork by: Tomasz Alen Kopera<\/p>\n

Style: stoner metal, psychedelic rock, progressive metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Elder, Pallbearer, Mastodon
Country: Australia
Release date: 1 October 2025<\/p>\n

There\u2019s an issue with the modern iteration of riffy, heavy stoner metal that\u2019s gained popularity over the last fifteen years: Elder<\/strong> are so clearly better than everyone else in the scene. Since their 2011 sophomore effort, Dead Roots Stirring, the band have held the throne. Even the eighteen-minute Liminality \/ Dream State Return EP Elder<\/strong> released out of the blue just a few weeks ago has more than enough quality to keep them at the top. True, Bask<\/strong> recently put out an excellent album with The Turning, but it gave a much more concise, Americana-influenced take on the genre. When it comes to massive compositions with tidal-wave riffs of heavenly fuzz, Elder<\/strong> have remained untouchable. Are there even contenders at this point?<\/p>\n

Enter the Australian act Khan<\/strong> and their fourth LP, That Fair and Warlike Form \/\/ Return to Dust\u2014a colossal two-track opus significantly grander in scope than their preceding works. The tracks, each conveniently making up half the album\u2019s title, are twenty-three-minute epics, journeying through sprawling, psychedelic passages driven by a robust low end and accented by shimmering leads. A diaphanous haze covers the album like morning dew on a windshield, while dreamlike textures swirl hypnotically. Sound familiar? Let\u2019s see how Khan<\/strong> stack up against their elders.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The obvious risk of writing stoner metal songs that go beyond the twenty-minute mark is, frankly, that they can be boring as hell. Both of Khan<\/strong>\u2019s compositions here are anything but. Rather than simply relying on trite repetition and basic ambience to build a soundscape, these Aussies find tones and melodies that are strikingly moody. That Fair and Warlike Form \/\/ Return to Dust is a melancholic, emotional album, hanging between the ears like a storm cloud. Dynamic guitars, moving from breezy to tempestuous, add to the effect, as do the plaintive vocals, often pushed toward the back for an ethereal feel. The band navigate from dreary, slow-burning sections to cathartic climaxes, all rich in sound and artfully detailed.<\/p>\n

When Khan<\/strong> do wield repetition, it\u2019s atmospherically engaging and builds toward a worthwhile crescendo. That the winding riffs and growling bass lines are consistently compelling and worth repeating certainly helps. When the groovin\u2019 drums get going five minutes into \u201cThat Fair and Warlike Form,\u201d joined shortly by a surging bass, floating synths, and light, wistful guitars, I can\u2019t help but melt into the passage and flow with it as it slowly morphs. The same can be said of the ominous, Phrygian-flavored bridge that builds throughout the center of \u201cReturn to Dust.\u201d Khan<\/strong> have a knack for wrapping you in sonic layer after layer until you\u2019re fully ensnared, and the sound is crafted so well that you won\u2019t be in any hurry to escape.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Zooming out, the band organize the component pieces of the gargantuan tracks commendably, keeping the music cohesive and flowing. Several shifts occur within each song, and for the most part, the transitions are intuitive and smooth\u2014barring a couple of slightly jarring ones toward the end of each track. More importantly, the quality of the songwriting is sustained throughout, preventing either side-length cut from dragging. I don\u2019t think I could recommend one track over the other, which is a testament to the balanced composition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are, however, some relative highs and lows. The album\u2019s first few minutes are its weakest, as the somewhat basic instrumentation draws focus to the vocals, which are too flat to be the center of attention (aren\u2019t they always in this genre?). But both songs hold captivating middle sections and end in spectacular fashion, especially the transcendent final passages of \u201cThat Fair and Warlike Form.\u201d There, the vocals are much more effective, droning somberly and then belting emotionally behind emphatic, biting guitars. \u201cReturn to Dust,\u201d meanwhile, concludes with an entrancing groove and gloomy atmospheric touches reminiscent of Mastodon<\/strong>\u2019s legendary song \u201cThe Czar.\u201d Closing the tracks with a punctuation mark gives each side of the record a satisfying feeling of finality and makes a trip back to the start all the more tempting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the end, Khan<\/strong> have spun ambition into success and delivered a two-track behemoth that stands as one of the more notable stoner metal releases in recent memory. That Fair and Warlike Form \/\/ Return to Dust expands on the Elder<\/strong> formula while having its own distinctive touch, and executes it extraordinarily well. Not that heavy, psychedelic music is a competition\u2014that, of course, seems contrary to the entire spirit of the genre\u2014but watch out: Khan<\/strong> have entered the arena.<\/p>\n

Recommended tracks: Give them both a listen
You may also like: Bask<\/a>, Sergeant Thunderhoof<\/a>, Vokonis<\/a>, Bushwhacker<\/a>
Final verdict: 8\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Related links: Bandcamp<\/a> | Official Website<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Label: Full Contact Safari Records \u2013 Facebook<\/a> | Official Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Khan<\/strong> is:
\u2013 Josh Bills (vocals, guitars, keyboards)
\u2013 Will Homan (bass)
\u2013 Beau Heffernan (drums)<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n