Album
Type : EP
Date
Released : 24/5/2012
Label
: Toxic Assets
UNMOTHERED , track listing :
1). Gravitons
2). The Awakening
3). Solstice
4). Dark Energy
5). Leviathon
6). Spectre
7). Trancendor
The Band :
Matt Walker
Joseph Barnes
Matt Moulis
Review :
Austin is somewhat of a Mecca for heavy shit these days, no
doubt fuelled by highly musical surroundings (SXSW) and possibly some good old
fashioned Texan attitude. Unmothered deal in some unconventional Doom
stylistics. NOTE: they sound absolutely nothing like The Stylistics. I hope
I've never made that joke before.
The band incorporate that low end morose mentality with some
searing, stomping noise and groove. Like if Cathedral jammed with Helmet maybe.
The result is, for lack of a better description, quite fresh. Gloomy kids can
dig it without the risk of cracking a smile, and 90s bastards like moi can get
a kick out of it while checking the sentimentality box. I LIKE HEAVY SHIT. And
this is some gloriously heavy shit.
'Gravitons' serves
well as an opener, with a great thumping build and a nice lead riff. Sounds
like it's being played underwater, loving that muffled effect. And the
death-style vocals are another welcome curveball. Their use of soundbites is
well placed too, and never comes across as hammy or artsy. They genuinely have
a feel for their flavour.
'The Awakening'
has a HUUUUGE riff. A real swaggering beast of a riff. This mother is absolute
dynamite, and they must have known they were onto a winner when everything
finally came together on this track. Throw in the Slayer-esque speed bit
towards the end for transition and I'm as good as spent.
'Leviathan' is
practically its namesake. Like some death-god rising from the abyss. The
drumming is also vital here, tempering perfectly the steady and enchanting
guitars. The rhythm section is like a rock, like a ten ton spine.
'Spectre' features
more of that echoing six string effect that features throughout the EP. There's
a somewhat Mastodon school of thought here, intricate playing spaced out by
some depth charge riffery that was raised on Lynott and cheap weed. It's really
very good.
I've only touched on just some of the great licks on display
here. This EP is a showing of great promise, not just technically proficient
but a real headbanger with genuine appreciation for all things radical in terms
of both feel and outright noisiness. Unmothered are undoubtedly a force to be
reckoned with in a city and scene that is rammed full of acts that are a force
to be reckoned with.
So much force reckoning, so little time. Don't waste it by
sleeping on this EP.
Words by : Matt
Fitton
You can buy it here
For more information :
