By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Album Type: Full Length
Split DD//LP track listing:
1). Ungraven, “Defeat The Object”
2). Ungraven, “Onwards She Rides to a Certain Death”
3). Ungraven, “Blackened Gates of Eternity”
4). Slomatics, “Kaan”
5). Slomatics, “Proto Hag”
6). Slomatics, “Monitors”
The Review:
So, half an hour of the heaviest sounds and tones known on the planet... Ungraven is Jon Davis' (Conan) side project, Slomatics are Northern Ireland's heaviest export.
Ungraven is not a million miles away from Conan, of course, but is less about atmosphere and slothfulness (or High On Fire bits) and more about beating the listener down with unbearable weight.
Over the course of the three tracks, Ungraven sound superb- heavy, crisp, weighty... I assume a Foal Studios recording with the inimitable Chris Fielding at the helm. Simply put, if you like Conan, you'll like this. If you like Fudge Tunnel, you will like this. If you like.... well, you get the idea.
Slomatics are all about heaping impossible weight onto the listener, in fact the material here is so heavy you'll need to Eat Clen and Tren Hard to withstand it. It is certainly downcast and moody- atmospheric in its blackness with impossibly low tuning. If you haven't ever heard them (is that possible?) think Electric Wizard crossed with Conan and you are in the right ballpark, but Slomatics have a sound and style all their own.
Over the course of six tracks, each band gets a roughly equal playing time and three tracks of each is enough to get a flavour of both, to decide if you to explore further. Of course, where this is all building to, is to say that it is great – if you like any of the comparison bands mentioned here, this is a must. Heavy, dark and pleasingly relentless.
You can purchase the Split HERE
