After years in Atlanta’s punk, hardcore, and metal scenes, fuzz-grunge foursome Big Jesus consecrated their love for gut-punching riffs with iridescent melodies and sonic textures on debut LP Oneiric, which means “related to dreams or dreaming.” Guitarists CJ Ridings and Thomas Gonzalez trade gargantuan slabs of distortion under Spencer Ussery’s blissed-out vox, landing somewhere between Smashing Pumpkins, Silversun Pickups, and Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles. No wonder the first track is called “SP.” The quartet rages with fizzy, breakneck abandon on “Always” and “Oneirica,” while lumbering, seven-minute closer “Heaviest Heart” layers guitar chugs and shoegaze splashes, hinting at future experimentation. (Fri. 17, Palm Door on Sabine, 1am)

***.5

This article appears in March 17 • 2017.

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