Touted as pioneers of the revived psych-rock genre, Vancouver’s Black Mountain continue to forge their new-school groove with the release of their much anticipated second full-length album. Building on the epic proportions established by their self-titled debut, In the Future immediately launches into the rhythm-driven “Stormy High,” a hair-swingin’ homage to ’70s stoner rock equipped with a modern spin. Resonating with thunderous, Sabbath-inspired guitar riffs and hauntingly nonchalant his-and-hers vocals furnished by Amber Webber and guitarist Stephen McBean, the momentum of this opener capitulates as the sleepy “Angels” saunters onto the scene, spurs jingling in the dust. Pushing through the folk-pop haze, they emerge with “Tyrants,” a soaring prog-rock anthem that gives Coheed and Cambria a run for their money. Sultry overlaid melodies unfurl themselves effortlessly over the course of the album’s 10 cuts, belying the precision and decisiveness that went into their creation. Fellow mountaineers Jeremy Schmidt and Joshua Wells prove that they are both adept at manipulating the Mellotron to good effect as they wrap Matthew Camirand’s leaden bass notes in an ethereal veil.

Modernity and tradition grapple for superiority as Black Mountain successfully breathe new life into a wide array of musical styles ranging from folk to metal. Conjuring the sage for the Neil Young tribute “Stay Free,” they throw in a twist of Ween-like puerility just for contrast.

Tripping down the darkened garden path on “Queen’s Will Play,” Webber’s quavering chords hold an ungraspable familiarity, the stark echo of her words accentuating the emptiness around them. Winding down with the 17-minute opus “Bright Lights” and the tremulously feminine “Night Walks,” In the Future demands a longer attention span than the variety of genres presented would indicate. Firmly anchored by their earthy roots, Black Mountain extend their cold, jagged spires through the clouds to reach for the distant stars.