Relatively unknown here in the States, Les Sorciers du Theil are psychedelic stoner rock masters from the French underground. Their latest release, Polyte Deshaies (May 18), is equal parts heavy and hypnotic, with droning guitar melodies and odd instrumentation creating a trippy collage of sound. The EP opens up with “Trois Suspendus,” entering with swelling synths and leading into a classic stoner rock progression. The drums throughout are thunderous, giving the song an edge while the rest of the instruments dwell on the meditative.  “Le Gardien,” the next track, continues the trend of heavy trance-like instrumentals, this time with gang vocal chanting over top. According to Les Sorciers’ bandcamp, the band invited along a few friends to participate on the album; perhaps it is their voices which chant the mantra of “Freedom” on the track. The sinister sounding “Hostile Noire” is possibly the most experimental track on the EP, with laser beam synths and Eastern-style guitar work layering to form complex soundscapes. Fully instrumental, it shows a more expressive side of Les Sorciers, with a more improvisational tilt to the guitar solos. Finally, “Retour à Barnavast” brings some more doom, with creepy mutterings that resemble Parseltongue whispering throughout. As with the rest of the release, “Retour” keeps the listener’s interest despite its droning quality. If they ever come to the US, Les Sorciers will definitely have an audience of stoner rock aficionados who just want to sink into a couch and get hypnotized by the band’s enigmatic sound.