As High As the Highest Heavens and from the Center to the Circumference of the Earth (Deluxe Edition)

Led by former Slowride guitarist Dan Phillips, True Widow is a stoner-rock trio from Dallas, Texas that can bend genres to their will. The opening crush of “Jackyl” includes a bottom-heavy crush worthy of Kyuss matched with a droning vocal that sounds as if it were lifted from slo-core legends Low. The guitar distortion throughout makes the band sound like a thick sludge machine completely at odds with the angelic vocal touches. Throw in the female harmonies from bassist Nicole Estill and the friction between approaches creates something surprisingly successful and new. “Skull Eyes” sounds like a shoegaze pop band discovering metal, while the menacing clang of “Wither” is sublime. This ambitiously titled second album is far more accessible that its title implies. Though the nine minutes of “Doomser” is a serious endurance test — and great music for a horror soundtrack — the compact power of “Night Witches” is for everyone. The Deluxe Edition includes three bonus cuts, including the acoustic gentility of “For Grace” and the deep fuzz of “SYB.”