ALBUM REVIEW: Somnuri - "Somnuri"

By Ralka F. Skjerseth

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 10/11 2017

Label: Magnetic Eye Records

This self-titled debut is an impressive debut, possessing a musical style that is extensive, manifesting decibels of subliminally-composed heavy fuzz and thrashing resonances inspired by a myriad of names such as Mastodon, High on Fire, and Baroness

“Somnuri” DD//LP track Listing:

01. Kaizen

02. Inhabitant

03. Same Skies

04. Slow Burn

05. Opaque

06. Welcome The Stranger

07. Pulling Teeth

08. Through The Dead

The Review:

Up-and-coming stoner/sludge/doom metal/progressive trio from Brooklyn, Somnuri, consisting of members of Blackout, Hull, and Family, they are formidably manifesting decibels of subliminally-composed heavy fuzz and thrashing resonances inspired by a myriad of names such as Mastodon, High on Fire, and Baroness. There definitely is diverse elements that can be found in their style— be it a convergence of black metal, sludge, math rock, progressive post-metal, you name it. As a result, they successfully manage to present a profound variety of paces, rhythms, and vocal ranges. They are the kind of band that would not hesitate to solicit influences from an extensive range of references in order to evolve as their own kind of authenticity. I personally don’t think that they suit only one single mundane classification of genre; they branch out in the most proficient way ever possible. They have done an awesome job of presenting how their elements can be ethereal but also belligerent at the same time-- their style is like a conundrum. It’s interesting to find trails of black metal-inspired growls in a sludge content that can be found in some tracks, as well.

The first track, “Kaizen”, is an atmospheric tune that appears to be strong on stoner elements and features a slow-paced outro which contrasts to the fast and upbeat beginning of the song. Hereafter, there comes “Inhabitant” with a blistering nuance and black metal-inspired funereal distortion. The next track “Same Skies” is in a more rapid pace than the previous two tracks, intensified by its chaotic drumbeats, and it mainly contains sonorous growls. “Slow Burn” is a droning, fuzzed-out track with prepossessing riffs and a well-crafted combination between growls and clean vocals. “Opaque” happens to be a short track that comes off as tranquil and clandestine. “Welcome the Stranger” has some circle pit-inducing malignant vibes that would trigger you to stage-dive and mosh. Next off we have “Pulling Teeth” and its convoluting riffs of the damned. The last track “Through the Dead” is a rhythmic, ethereal take on stoner that closes the album as the longest track.

This self-titled debut is an impressive debut, possessing a musical style that is extensive and not chained to one certain sphere only. It has a lot of scenes and roots implemented in its content, and it’s such a good start for them.

“Somnuri” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

HULL - Legend Of The Swamp Goat - Single Review

Album Type:Single

Date Released: Feb 14th 2014

Label: Iron Works Orchestra & Midnite Collective.

Legend Of The Swamp Goat - track listing:

1.Legend of the Swamp Goat

Bio:

Known to behold vast sound expanses, HULL maximizes harmony and tone within one monstrous palate. Upon your brow, focus, as a furious whip of intermingling guitars propel you through the atmosphere as a low pulse resonates through your entire being while the pounding drums blanket all chasms of reality. Find yourself immersed in a musical tide as it is played out before your ears beyond the lightless sky.

HULL materializes as a massive entity storming stages and immersing their audiences in a blanket of grandiose down-tuned compositions. A shifting fault line of decibel heavy harmony, this collective force converges in a collision of thrash, doom, classic rock, and formal orchestral works. HULL commands their listeners through each riff with incredible precision, as a seafarer guides vessels through ominous waters. Submerged in cosmic soundscapes, HULL challenges the mind with flowing, off-time fugues and powerful, dynamic movements. Brace yourself for an onslaught of eruptive force as a new world of music is formed in the deafening clap of thunder that is HULL.

Band Members

N. Palmirotto

S. B. Dunn

C. Laietta V

J. Stieber

Review:

Today it is my privilege to check out Brooklyn, New York based Doom act HULL’s 7 inch “The Legend Of Swampgoat”

For those uninformed or new to the band this is an older track from the band being pressed to vinyl posthumously. In 2007 while working on their debut “Sole Lord” the song was born but left on the shelves only to be resurrected 7 years later and Its a fine display of heavy.

Snare rolls and cleverly places acoustic guitars open the track to a wall of sound that brings you to one of the nicest doom grooves you’ve ever heard.

Harmony and vocal layering are a dominant part of this track with the 3 vocalists intertwining seamlessly. All of this finds a nice home with some good ole stoner doom groove guitar riffage. For being an early track and theoretical b-side it at no point feels like a band in its early stages of development it’s a brilliantly laid out & flawlessly executed doom jam.

In an age of duplicate style acts and basically mindless cloning of what others before have done these New Yorkers encompassing all the great things about Sabbath/doom psychedelia while bringing a new lease on life to the genre via vocal harmony and clever musicianship HULL have no doubt carved their own path through the sea of sameness.

Fans of doom/sludge shouldn’t sleep on this one!

The band has released the single via Iron Orchestra Works & MidniteCollective. You can order the 7 inch vinyl in a handful of different colors on their Bandcamp page

http://hull.bandcamp.com/album/swamp-goat-single

Until next time…

S.B

Written by Stephen T Barton

Official

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