Wednesday 16 March 2016

Moloch/Lich - "Moloch/Lich" Split 12inch (Review)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Split 12inch
Date Released: 5/01/2016
Label: Dry Cough Records|
Vendetta Records |
Vetala Productions


Moloch contribute two slabs of crawling, lumbering sludge. “Disability” is nine minutes of creeping despair, pummelling riffs and pained vocals combining to harrowing effect. The whole thing is caked in thick distortion and squalling feedback.  Lich use their side of this release to rattle through 8 tracks of break-neck power violence punctuated with crushing breakdowns.  They occupy a similar stylistic space to Moloch, but filter their noise through a punk/hardcore lens without losing focus on the riffs.  This is a strong split, both sides equally matched in terms of ear-bleeding ferocity. An essential purchase for connoisseurs of sonic filth, this is a powerful document of the UK underground.

“Moloch/Lich” Split 12inch LP track listing:

1). Moloch – Disability
2). Moloch - Holding the Hand of Someone Dying
3). Lich – Beggar’s Teeth
4). Lich – Rat Teeth
5). Lich – Fields of Malice
6). Lich – Negation Delirium
7). Lich – Dead Water
8). Lich - Disir
9). Lich – Lazarus Pit
10). Lich – Hat Trick of Idiocy

The Review:

Extremes of tempo are always welcome in heavy music. This split LP is a fine example of this, with Kent’s Lich occupying the faster end of the spectrum, while Nottingham’s Moloch firmly embedded at the turgid depths. What unites these bands is a single-minded dedication to producing an ugly racket, regardless of speed.

Moloch contribute two slabs of crawling, lumbering sludge. “Disability” is nine minutes of creeping despair, pummelling riffs and pained vocals combining to harrowing effect. The whole thing is caked in thick distortion and squalling feedback. It occupies a potent middle ground between the heavy hitters of doom and the gnarliest noise rock. “Holding The Hand Of Someone Dying” is every bit as bleak as it soul-crushing title, continuing the previous track’s onslaught while adding hints of off-kilter discordance, reminiscent of Primitive Man. These tracks are Moloch’s strongest to date and bode well for future releases. Hopefully a full-length offering is somewhere on the horizon.

Lich use their side of this release to rattle through 8 tracks of break-neck power violence punctuated with crushing breakdowns. Now, sadly defunct, the band boasted members of awesome UK scream bands Battle of Wolf 359 and Me And Goliath. There are hints of these sounds here, mixed with a more aggressive metallic approach and played through amps, barely clinging to life as they are pushed to breaking point. They occupy a similar stylistic space to Moloch, but filter their noise through a punk/hardcore lens without losing focus on the riffs. It’s a shame this will be the final release from Lich, but hopefully this split will allow more people to realise what a devastating force they were.

This is a strong split, both sides equally matched in terms of ear-bleeding ferocity. An essential purchase for connoisseurs of sonic filth, this is a powerful document of the UK underground.

“Moloch/Lich” is available here



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