Review by Adam M on March 31, 2020.

Only Sons perform a take on Southern metal that is welcoming and accessible.  It recalls a mixture of Orange Goblin and Corrosion of Conformity and this mixing of sounds makes for a compelling album.  There is a definite blueprint for the songs and they follow a pretty standard path even though there is some deviation as can be seen from the track 'Bonfire' which adds a nice little bit of variety to the overall sound.  The style of the band is very groovy and has that nice Southern flavor to it that gives it a distinctive sound. 

The music is atmospheric enough, but it could be even more so and this is one of the biggest flaws with the release.  It is somewhat generic sounding despite having solid song-writing and musical performances.  The band gets through this with their penchant for having fun with the music and letting this enjoyment pour through every portion of the album.  The flow of the work is consistent and allows for catchy repetition in the songs, which become ingrained in your memory.  The last song 'Cabin in the Woods' ends things on a positive note and brings the whole experience together.  This is still a fairly standard sounding Southern release and it doesn’t do anything particularly innovative, even though it sounds perfectly fine. It is a solid album that is very well put together and presented nicely, but it stays within the confines of this presentation.  The groove of the tracks makes for a very fun time and the album has a certain addictive factor that is hard to deny. 

Fans of Orange Goblin will probably like this album because it has the same sort of swagger.  As a Southern release with heavy stoner influences, Lions and Unicorns gets a fairly hearty recommendation for those types of fans. 

Rating: 7.1 out of 10