Lung Molde - 'Lung Molde' (Album Review)

By: Peter Man

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 30/10/2015

Label: Caligari Records

What makes Lung Molde particularly notable to me is the way they let chords ring out to the point of grisly decomposition; it is the essence of the album.  Drawing similarities to Dopethrone, Bongripper, and Weedeater, Lung Molde creates an obscenely gnarled sound that is very careful to not be too bold, furious, or trippy.  Their absolute despair, and yours, is always at the forefront of their music.

‘Lung Molde’ CS//DD track listing:

1). White in the Red

2). Witch Trench

3). Sunken And Drowned

4). Teeth And Tar

5). Vanquished

6). Skulls in the Acid Well

Lung Molde is:

JH |  Strings, vocals
MS | Hammers
AD | Strings

The Review:

Lung Molde hails from Portland, Oregon and unleashes their contaminated brand of downer doom on the world with 2015's debut, self-titled album.  This record contains six crushing tracks that are best listened to alone, with the lights turned down, in the middle of the night.  All vocals are done in a sort of low growl that prefers to subsist in mud.  While there are a few harmonizing riffs, guitar solos, and up-tempo grooves, they are infrequent.  Much of the album's time is spent grasping onto plodding riffs and slowly bruising them over and over until the remains are unrecognizable.  What makes Lung Molde particularly notable to me is the way they let chords ring out to the point of grisly decomposition; it is the essence of the album.

My personal favorite track, 'Sunken and Drowned', is the album's third offering and also its signature one.  It begins with a clean, yet warped guitar riff which morphs into a fully distorted onslaught that seems to be consumed by a forgotten cesspool in a scarred forest.  The main riff is endlessly beaten for almost four straight minutes before the tempo retreats into the band's trademark march of decay.  Track four, 'Teeth and Tar', is the only song to begin with an aggressive riff.  It features a couple of guitar solos and is a bit schizophrenic; it reminds me of the hybrid thrash/doom band Bison (bc).  The final track, 'Skulls In The Acid Well', surprised me with a duelling guitar feature that had a very classic rock feel.  It finishes out itself, and the album, with a tired whimper, accurately reflecting the band's goal of total surrender.  The other tracks dabble with some varied and familiar metal elements, but are equally as massive as the next, and force the listener to stay grounded in sorrow.

Drawing similarities to Dopethrone, Bongripper, and Weedeater, Lung Molde creates an obscenely gnarled sound that is very careful to not be too bold, furious, or trippy.  Their absolute despair, and yours, is always at the forefront of their music.

‘Lung Molde’ is available on DD here and cassette here

Band info: bandcamp