Not sure if anybody else feels like that too, but with the way things are going at this moment, I’m seriously tempted to either hide myself under the rock, get myself stoned or get drunk. Or all the above and mind you, I do not drink, take drugs nor do I sleep that much. Trumps and Putins and Netanyahus of this world are making it really hard to face the reality stone cold sober. All I want is the common equality, liberty, ecology and the United Federation of Planet core principles and some pesky billionaires are acting like it’s too much. You can’t help some people, I tell ya. Lucky for me, there is a positive light shining among all the darkness. Polish-Japanese quartet, AcidSitter, one of my favourite Polish rock bands is back with a new album and it’s a great antidote for the doom and gloom that surrounds us.
The album cover and psychedelic blue vinyl (eye of the storm variety)
Official bio: The Polish-Japanese collective AcidSitter returns with “Escape From Egoland” – a conceptual psychedelic manifesto about humanity’s desperate need to let go of its ego. It’s a sonic journey through downfall, awakening, and spiritual rebirth in a world suffocating from its own pride and excess. Produced and recorded entirely on tape by Maciej Cieślak (Ścianka), the album carries a raw, organic sound that channels the spirit of late 60s psychedelic recordings – visceral, imperfect, and alive. AcidSitter made their debut in 2023 with the album “Make Acid Great Again” (Interstellar Smoke Records), exploring a wide range of psychedelia with rock’n’roll passion and punk energy. The band is currently on their European tour playing shows in Italy, Poland, Austria, Slovenia and Germany.
I will start a bit inconveniently and I will say that despite being 3 minutes longer than the band’s debut album “Make Acid Great Again”, “Escape From Egoland” feels a bit too short. Nearly 42 minutes of music is a solid amount of entertainment, but after listening to it for a couple of times, I really feel like the record could benefit from having at least two more tracks. This is the only complaint I have – the album is excellent but it leaves the listener wanting more. It’s like eating a freaking good meal at a Michelin star restaurant and then leaving before the dessert arrives.
„Escape from Egoland” contains 9 tracks, 3 already published singles: “Doomscroller’s Blues”, “PSYCHOPOMP” and “Look At The Sun” that we reviewed on Indieterria separately and 6 new songs. This is a concept album, and apparently the tracks are grouped into three trilogies. The first trilogy depicts the fall of a bored civilization (“Eleusis Dream”, “Doomscroller’s Blues” and “Killegos Attack!”). The second tells a story of a late wakening after the apocalypse (“Your Eyes Were Orange Like The Sky”, “OmeN”, “PSYCHOPOMP”) and the last offers hope and spiritual enlightenment after the destruction („Seven Is My Lucky Number”, “Touched”, “Look At The Sun”). It’s almost like the band made three mini EP’s and released them in the form of an album. Quite a novel idea we have to admit.
AcidSitter photographed by Mateusz Ługowski
Each trilogy has a leading track, some sort of focal point for both: the story and the music and I bet this was the idea behind the selection of the singles before the album came out. “Doomscroller’s Blues” was chosen from the first trilogy, “PSYCHOPOMP” from the second and the album’s closing number “Look At the Sun” comes from the third. And while “Doomscroller” is a clear winner due to its radio-friendliness, I’m not necessarily sure If I would choose the two others. I would probably go with “Your Eyes Were Orange As The Sky” for the second trilogy and with “Touched” for the third. Let me explain.
“Your Eyes Were Orange As The Sky” is absolutely amazing despite lasting more than 8 minutes. Seriously, my eyes teared up when I heard it for the first time. It’s a prima sorte prog rock track from the golden era of the genre. Think Genesis (“Selling England By The Pound”), Van Ger Graaf Generator (“H to He, Who Am the Only One“), King Crimson (“Starless and Bible Black”) with a solid dosage of Legendary Pink Dots and Edward Ka-Spel and jazz. Dark, sultry, strange yet you can dance to it. A dream that turns into a nightmare you can’t wake up from. I love the guitar solo at 2 minutes and 57 seconds mark to bits. It has this visual kei, X-Japan vibe to it, something like a slowed down version of “Kurenai”. Perfection.
“Touched” couldn’t be different. Very 1990’s inspired, it is lighter, sunnier, surfer rock meets post grunge, with acoustic guitars and harmonized vocals a la “Heaven Beside You” by Alice In Chains or rather Jerry Cantrell going solo and moving to California. Wait till the second part of the song and AcidSitter suddenly jumps from the West to the East Coast adding slowness and heaviness of NYC thrash/hardcore scene. You want names? Here you go: Carnivore, Type O, Biohazard. Still the same decade but as far away from the Seattle sound as one can get.
The band photographed by Mateusz Ługowski
“Escape From Egoland” is musically varied like no other record I heard recently: from The Red Hot Chilly Peppers-esque funk rock of “Eleusis Dream”, U2 x Daft Punk (“Killegos Attack!”) to hyper rock of the noughties (“OmeN”) and 60’s beach pop (“Seven Is My Lucky Number) to already mentioned prog, experimental rock and psychedelia. AcidSitter are sliding through 7 decades of popular music with mastery and ease that is almost impossible to match.
I very rarely say this, but “Escape From Egoland” is a modern classic. Eclectic, smart, delightfully produced and visually pleasing, this LP should be in every music otaku’s vinyl collection. AcidSitter are a band that have high potential to become international stars. If there is any justice in this ego-centric world – they would become them.
I keep my fingers crossed for it to happen sooner than later.
6 out of 5 stars.
AcidSitter on the world wide web:
https://www.facebook.com/AcidSitter
https://twitter.com/AcidSitterband
https://acidsitter.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/acidsitter/
https://www.youtube.com/@acidsitter
https://interstellarsmokerecords1.bandcamp.com/album/make-acid-great-again
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0qRWDSGqHvOEmzTfHMs8u
Rita Dabrowicz
PS. Update 11.12.2025
Few days ago, “Escape From Egoland” was included on the list of the best albums of 2025 according to one of the biggest Polish daily newspapers, Gazeta Wyborcza, at number 17! Not bad for a record that was released just a month ago! Congratulations AcidSitter, you truly made the acid great again.
Indieterria 