Words by: Chris Bull
The Review:
I've been granted the absolute privilege of reviewing the first track released by Slabdragger from their forthcoming album 'Rise Of The Dawncrusher' and what a Slab it is!
'Evacuate' is the kind of glorious stoner tinged groovy doom sludge metal we've come to expect from Slabdragger but unlike anything they've released before. If you've yet to hear it, it's got more in common with 'Erroneous Maximus' than any other track from previous album 'Regress' but more of a Hellbastard vibe during the opening few bars.
The vocals from both guitarist Sam Thredder (who also recorded the album) and bassist Yusuf Tary are on top form, trading verses and combining on other sections to brilliant effect, just as they always do! Some excellent groove laden licks make you instantly smile and nod along before it goes all sludgy and doomy in a way that only Slabdragger can...then there's more groove as both vocalists scream over the top and it goes all 'Bab El Mandeb' on us. Today Is The Day's Steve Austin mastered 'Rise...' and his strokes of genius allow the high end to shine through without taking away any of the bass and rounding it all out to allow the devastating effects to burrow furiously into your brain.
Fans of Slabdragger will love this, hell, fans of heavy music in general should love it, it's absolutely brilliant and if this is a precursor to what lies ahead on 'Rise Of The Dawncrusher' we're all in for a wonderful treat.
