Paul Roland Delivers Stunning New Release ‘Lair of the White Worm’

Few artists can traverse the shadowy corridors of rock, psych, and gothic storytelling with the dexterity of Paul Roland.

With over four decades of work behind him, Roland has built a career out of cinematic miniatures—songs that feel like Victorian short stories set to baroque-tinged psych-pop. He re-released one of his most enduring works, Lair of the White Worm, an album that continues to reveal new layers of imagination and menace with every listen.

Roland’s music has always been steeped in literary and historical reference, and this record is no exception. Drawing inspiration from Bram Stoker’s The Lair of the White Worm and Hammer Horror’s The Reptile, the album blends gothic horror with psych-driven instrumentation. Tracks like Year of the Harlot and Master Boil and Mistress Sore evoke the London Plague of 1666, while Leda and the Swan and Prophetess, Sybil and Seer conjure Greek myth, featuring the ethereal vocals of German neo-folk singer Joran Elane. There is a wistful nod to H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine in In Memory of a Time Traveler, weaving nostalgia with existential wonder.

What distinguishes Roland is his capacity to create sonic worlds as vivid as his lyrical ones. Every track on Lair of the White Worm is rich with textured instrumentation and haunting melodies, from distorted guitars to baroque flourishes and layered harmonies. In standout number Master Boil and Mistress Sore, Roland immerses listeners in the grime and terror of 18th-century plague streets, balancing gritty vocals against urgent rhythms that pulse like a fevered heartbeat. His music doesn’t just entertain—it transports.

At once literate, macabre, and melodically compelling, Paul Roland’s Lair of the White Worm is a testament to the enduring power of imagination in music. It is a record that invites listeners to wander through spectral narratives, historical horrors, and lush, gothic soundscapes. For those willing to step into Roland’s shadowed world, it is a journey that rewards patience, curiosity, and a taste for the beautifully strange.