Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree - In Between Strides (2026)
An enjoyable and atmospheric psychedelic doom album, combining heavily distorted guitars, shoegaze textures and gradual post-rock developments with a more melodic and introspective approach. The contrast between delicate instrumental passages and massive guitar arrangements works particularly well, although the lengthy compositions, distant vocals and relatively predictable structures prevent the album from becoming consistently engaging.
With In Between Strides, German band Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree return with their fourth studio album, following 2023's Aion. This time, the band incorporates more shoegaze, ambient and acoustic influences into its characteristic combination of psychedelic rock, doom and post-metal. It's an interesting direction, and I particularly appreciate the more melodic atmosphere, although I find the songwriting less convincing than the instrumental arrangements.
What I appreciate most is the contrast between the enormous guitar sound and the quieter, more atmospheric passages. The distorted guitars create an impressive wall of sound, while the reverb, keyboards and occasional acoustic instruments bring a welcome sense of space. The band clearly understands how to build instrumental tension, even if the compositions sometimes take rather a long time to reach their most interesting moments.
"Departure" opens the album with a nine-and-a-half-minute composition built around gradual instrumental developments. I appreciate the atmospheric introduction and the way the guitars progressively become heavier, supported by a strong rhythm section. The contrast between the quieter passages and the more intense sections works well, although I find the progression rather predictable. The vocals are also heavily buried in the mix, which gives the music a distant character but limits their emotional impact.
"Respite" introduces a more restrained atmosphere, with acoustic textures and ambient elements providing a welcome contrast. I particularly appreciate the space between the instruments and the slightly more experimental approach. However, the composition feels more like an extended transition than a fully developed song. There are some beautiful instrumental details, but relatively little that I find genuinely memorable.
"Clutching at Straws" is one of my favourite tracks on the album, mainly because of its stronger rhythmic direction and more immediate instrumental impact. The dense guitars, energetic drumming and shoegaze textures work particularly well together, creating a powerful atmosphere without relying quite so heavily on extended introductions. I appreciate the more direct approach, which demonstrates how effective the band can be when it concentrates on developing a clear musical idea.
"Elisa" returns to a slower and more atmospheric direction. The absence of vocals allows the instruments to establish a reflective mood, with guest piano from Luis Deffner adding a particularly enjoyable melodic dimension. I appreciate the delicate instrumental textures and the contrast with the heavier compositions. Nevertheless, at over nine minutes, I find the piece slightly too long. The musical ideas are pleasant, but they don't develop sufficiently to maintain my interest throughout.
"Return, Precipice" is my favourite track on the album. I particularly appreciate the combination of heavy psychedelic guitars, powerful drumming and a gradual increase in intensity. The more aggressive vocal passages provide a welcome contrast with the surrounding atmospheric material, while the heavier instrumental developments give the composition a stronger sense of direction. It's an effective conclusion, and one of the moments where I find the balance between atmosphere and instrumental power particularly convincing.
My main problem is the relatively predictable structure of the longer compositions. Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree clearly have a distinctive sound, and their combination of doom, psychedelic rock and shoegaze works well, but several pieces follow a rather familiar pattern of atmospheric introductions, gradual instrumental layering and increasingly heavy conclusions. These developments are enjoyable, although I rarely feel particularly surprised by the direction the music takes.
The vocal production is another limitation. I understand the intention behind the heavily reverberated singing, and it certainly contributes to the psychedelic atmosphere, but the vocals sometimes disappear so far into the instrumental arrangements that they become almost irrelevant. I would have appreciated a little more clarity and emotional expression, particularly during the quieter passages.
I also find the songwriting somewhat limited. The instrumental textures are impressive, but there are relatively few memorable melodies or distinctive themes. Much of the music relies on maintaining a particular atmosphere rather than developing strong compositions. I appreciate the immersive quality, although after a while several instrumental passages begin to sound rather similar.
The album's structure doesn't help either. With only five compositions and a running time of thirty-eight minutes, there is relatively little room for variety. Three of the tracks are lengthy instrumental developments, and I would have appreciated another more concise composition like "Clutching at Straws" to provide greater contrast. The shorter overall duration is not necessarily a problem, but the music occasionally feels less varied than it should.
Nevertheless, there is plenty to appreciate. The guitar sound is impressive, the rhythm section is powerful, and the production creates a convincing atmosphere. I also appreciate the band's willingness to incorporate more melodic and acoustic elements, which gives the music a slightly different character from conventional psychedelic doom. The contrast between the delicate passages and the heavier instrumental sections remains the album's greatest strength.
Ultimately, In Between Strides is a good psychedelic doom and post-rock album, with beautiful instrumental textures, powerful guitars and several enjoyable compositions. I particularly appreciate "Return, Precipice" and "Clutching at Straws", where the music has a stronger sense of direction and instrumental intensity. However, the predictable developments, distant vocals and relatively limited melodic variety prevent me from developing a stronger connection with the record. An atmospheric and occasionally impressive album, but one that would have benefited from more focused songwriting and a little more variety.
68/100
Playing time: 00:38:02
❤️ Favourite track: "Return, Precipice"
+ Impressive combination of heavy psychedelic guitars, shoegaze textures and atmospheric post-rock
+ Effective contrasts between delicate instrumental passages and powerful crescendos
+ Strong guitar sound and several enjoyable compositions, particularly "Return, Precipice" and "Clutching at Straws"
– Rather predictable song structures, with several lengthy compositions following similar atmospheric developments
– Heavily reverberated vocals that occasionally disappear too far into the instrumental arrangements
– Limited melodic and rhythmic variety, with too few memorable themes to distinguish the individual compositions
Genre: Psychedelic Doom
Country: Germany
Final Verdict: 68% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 117th / 780
Highlight: Return, Precipice
Made me think of:
Elder
King Buffalo
SOM
#newalbum #newalbum2026 #albumrelease #newmusic #albumoftheday #nowspinning #NowPlaying #musicdiscovery
#PsychedelicDoom #BeesMadeHoneyintheVeinTree #Germany
#LP #Album #release
