There are only two types of people in this world, my friend. Those chosen ones who recognise Electric Wizard as the heaviest, most evil, most decimating, most exciting, most bad-ass heavy rock band of all time, and those unfortunate souls who are yet to receive enlightenment. Or enheavyment, as it should rightfully be called.

But fear ye not! Those who are lost will soon be saved, those who are blind will soon have their third eye pried wide open, because The Wizard have returned with 'Time to Die', their first new album since 2010.

This astounding eighth long player, released via Spinefarm Records, fizzes and crackles with the malevolent energy of a giant black sun blotting out the sky; this is their heaviest album since magnum opus 'Dope Throne' (2000), their most evil since fan favourite 'Come My Fanatics' (1997), and the most acidic and psychedelic of their career to date.

The longstanding colossal yin & yang twin guitar assault of Jus Oborn and Liz Buckingham has been augmented by the temporary return of an old face from the distant past: the original Leccy Wizard drummer, Mark Greening. Speaking about bringing Mark back to play on the album, Oborn says: "Our relationship is still volatile and can blow up at any time, so the recording process has been about tapping that negative energy and making something primitive out of it."

From the second you dive into 'Time to Die', it's clear that this line-up has found some kind of alchemist's sweet spot, enabling the musicians to combine all of the things the band has done so well in the past into one devastating whole. Instead of going for monolithic riffs built up out of multiple layers of crushing musical weight, this is an album of four lead instrumentalists battling it out and complementing one another by turns. The effect is more focused, acidic and minimalist than anything they've done before.

The album, which was mostly recorded at Toe Rag studios, East London, then finished off at Skyhammer in deepest, darkest Cheshire by Chris Fielding, opens and closes with the sound of a gurgling river and a haunting organ – a return to their uncanny rural roots.

After 21 years of being reality rupturing doom outliers, Electric Wizard are finally getting their dues as one of the all-time great British bands. Oborn agrees that the time is right and that their dark star is in the ascendancy...