ALBUM REVIEW: Roadsaw, “Tinnitus The Night”

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 07/06/2019

Label: Ripple Music

This is definitely one of the best albums of the  year and its vitality is astounding for a band of this vintage. Superlative heavy rock for 2019.

“Tinnitus The Night” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Along For The Ride
2. Shake
3. Fat Rats
4. Final Phase
5. Peel
6. Knock Em All Down
7. Find What You Need
8. Under The Devil’s Thumb
9. Midazolam
10. Silence

The Review:

Roadsaw return after an eight year break from releasing full length records and boy does this just JUMP out of the speakers! Kind of like an US East Coast Orange Goblin, these noise purveyors deal in the finest and heaviest stoner rock. Massive riffs, drums, bass and sounds coalesce to turn in powerhouse performances on opener “Along For The Ride” and “Shake”, The band slows to a greasy groove on “Fat Rats” and don't put a foot wrong from there.

With ten tracks and neatly fitting onto one side of a TDK 90min cassette (should that be your preferred medium) this feels like a throwback to the band's first heyday (95-2000) and channels the power of their 2007 release “Rawk N Roll”. I am ashamed to say that I missed out on their self titled 2011 effort, but in my defence I did catch them live at Desertfest a few years ago- and they ripped the Underworld a new one with a tight and energetic set of all-American rock and roll- and gave away a three track EP on CD which I still have.

“Final Phase” is a speedball of energy with “Peel” then dropping the pace back down to a laid back cruise. It's a fairly extended loose track that marks the mid point of this deadly record. For side two, you get “Knock Em All Down” first, with a big groove and grunge like feel. “Find What You Need” is pure rock and roll enjoyment- killer riffs and hooks.

“Under The Devil's Thumb” is just as good- grooves for days- with swagger like Monster Magnet in their prime. For a band with 25 years under their belt, Roadsaw sound hungry and hopefully this album will see another flurry of activity from them and lead to more releases and shows. The albums second languid set piece is “Midazolam”; a longer playing time and the band spreads their wings to take in some epic riffage and quiet loud dynamics. As the band close things with “Silence”, they utilise acoustic guitars for a rather melancholy ending to this excellent record.

This is definitely one of the best albums I've heard this year and its vitality is astounding for a band of this vintage. Superlative heavy rock for 2019. Welcome back!

“Tinnitus The Night” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Throes, "In the Hands of an Angry God"

By: Eeli Helin

Album Type: Full-length

Date Released: 26/07/19

Label: Holy Roar Recordings,

Deathwish

”In the Hands of an Angry God” CD//DD//LP track list:

1. Bad Meat

2. They Never Spoke

3. Nothing New

4. Derelict

5. From Their Nails

6. Carrion

7. Disillusion

8. Ruin

9. Fang

The Review:

On their debut LP "In the Hands of an Angry God", Throes deliver a striking and relentless blend of hardcore, sludge and post-metal, suited to kick the air out of you and keep you pinned throughout its duration. Formed on the ruins of Bone Dance, Throes explore and expand themselves on a somewhat similar ground, but taking far bleaker and dimmer turns along the way.

I was captured and fascinated by the Boise quintet's first single cut "They Never Spoke" over a month ago, and was equally excited to get a chance to review the album a few weeks later. The aforementioned track was a colossal wall of angry noise, that held its ground against a ton of other releases dropping around the same timeframe. The pounding felt oddly familiar, and it was only afterwards that I learnt about the current group's  history. Now, by saying this new output feels familiar, I mean that it is adhesive and positively infectious, not that they'd be replicating or recycling their past sound. Usually, when a band reforms under a different moniker, the result is a bland playback with a pseudo-fresh approach, but that's not the case with Throes. At all.

The first track, "Bad Meat" clocks in less than three minutes, and together with the closing, one and a half minute grinder "Fang", they set clear frames and boundaries to what everything else in between will be. These two tracks are also the most pissed off and most reminiscent of Throes' now buried past. However, while these two tracks also leave quite memorable imprints, it's everything in between them that will address and highlight what this entrant is set out to be.

The standout portion on the album is the triad of "Derelict", "From Their Nails" and "Carrion". These tracks advance in a sludgy pace, bulldozing and flattening absolutely everything in their way. The mood is pushed to so violent territory that it will increase your heart rate and inflict the kind of terror that is not very prominent in this style overall. That is a shame really, but on the contrary it gives bands like Throes a well-deserved edge against the plethora of acts in their respective realm. The slowly seeping, low-gain guitars breathe in a lot of unforgettable, atmospheric nuances, and you'll notice this afterwards. Saying that the music is "catchy" sounds a bit weird, but in the lack of a better word, catchy it is.

To step aside from the strongpoints of this album, I also have something to whine about. While "In the Hands of an Angry God" excels in what it set out to do in being ridiculously heavy and demolishing piece of music, it is also a bit ponderous and unsurprising after the first half. I personally would've liked to hear more variation towards the end, aside from the last track which will pull the rug from under your feet. One factor that may affect this feeling, is that due to the tendency of getting monotonous, the album could've been a bit shorter. The exclusion of one track or few repeated riffs here and there would've made a drastic difference to the overall fluency. Still, these are just my thoughts. I can't point out any lesser tracks or riffs per se, as nothing on the album is exactly bad or not worth your while. Each track works well individually, but the entirety is a bit off. However, if you like getting your skull bashed in constantly and give absolutely zero shits about factors such as mutability and unpredictability, then this album is definitely meant for you.

All in all, it is not a surprise that Throes got themselves signed to Holy Roar Records, a label who has proved to be the one you should always keep your eye on for. "In the Hands of an Angry God" is a powerful debut, that lays down a firm ground for Throes' future endeavours. A great deal of "flaws" can be overlooked when the band is considered to be a newcomer, but is that justifiable when the members' past is taken into account? My scale tips to their benefit this time, it'll be intriguing to hear if and how they're going to ameliorate their newfound form in the future.

”In the Hands of an Angry God” is available here:

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: Canadian heavyweights Cruickshank debut "Coma Blue"

Featuring a plethora of talent from the Canadian heavy music scene, Cruickshank’s eponymous debut seethes with a sludgy yet lean energy that speaks of many garage rehearsals to dial in this level of chemistry.  Every element, from the exploratory tone of the guitars to the turn-on-a-dime drum work, feels casual yet calculated. Some tendrils of sludge, doom, hardcore, and grindcore creep in, but the very notion of ‘genre’ plays second fiddle to such great musicianship.

The ultimate takeaway from Cruickshank is that this group have a phenomenal debut on their hands, spectacularly executed, and ready for fans of heavy, sludgy yet technical music to jump onboard. Today at THE SLUDGELORD were pleased to debut a new track “Coma Blue” which you can check out below.

Band info: facebook

6 NEW BANDS: THE SLUDGELORD'S "666 Pack Review" (June 2019)

By: Nikos Mixas

The year is halfway over…For some that may be a good thing and for others…say it ain’t fucking so!  As I look at my social media feed, I notice a shit ton of people are on holiday, or vacation, or whatever you want to call it.  Not this dude, I’m stuck here in hellish heat until August, so for now, I’ll just try to entertain you for a hot minute with June’s “666 Pack Review”.  THE SLUDGELORD doesn’t take summers off but for those locked in the garage, busting your chops and belting out tune after tune, we can help your band get some free promotion when you email your tunes to us for this monthly column.  So, if you’re new to this, each and every month we handpick 6 review submissions and critique them by only using 6 words, then we rate them on a scale from 1 to 666!  Check out our vacation themed rating scale below: 

1 – Your vacation needs a vacation from your band  

2 – Getting away to a music school might be the trick.  Just sayin…  

3 – This is what we call a weekender.

4 – You haven’t won an all expense paid trip to Fiji but THE SLUDGELORD acknowledges your effort.  

5 – The perfect vacation for your band would be the summer European metal fest circuit.  Excellent!

666 – THE SLUDGELORD can’t send you on vakay, but what’s important here is that you earned the highest score that we give out and these are a rarity.

Caveat:  Even though the “666 Pack Review” is meant to offer humorous critique, there are no safe spaces here and your gripes will only make you sound like a bellyacher.  THE SLUDGELORD is a picky listener…and doesn’t care what you think of his opinions….

1). Vovk “Lair” (Kiev, Ukraine)    Rating: 4

90’s desert rock influences run rampant.

 

2). Liquid Signal “Neuronicae” (Kouts, IN, U.S.A.)   Rating: 1

Somebody buy this band a tuner!

 

3). Et Mors “Lux in Morte” (Maryland, U.S.A)    Rating: 3

Very rough recording doesn’t do justice.  

 

4). El Supremo “Clarity Through Distortion” (Fargo, ND, U.S.A.)   Rating: 5

Even the album title is great!

 

5). Burial Fog “Last to Mourn” (Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. )  Rating: 3

Funeral doom genre should be buried…

 

6). Hirveä “Tuska Ja Pakokauhu” (Finland) Rating: 1

Ok, I’m outta here…fuck this.  

Band info: Vovk || Liquid Signal || Et Mors || El Supremo || Hirveae

REVIEW: Wormed, "Metaportal" EP

By: Eeli Helin

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 19/07/2019

Label: Season of Mist

“Metaportal” CD/DD track listing:

1. Remote Void

2. Cryptoubiquity

3. Bionic Relic

4. E-Xystem://CE

The Review:

It's always an extremely tough spot to lose someone. Every single one of us knows the mental weight and physical toll it takes to pull through it. When it comes to handling such a thing, there are no winners or losers, there is not a right or wrong way to deal with it, granted that some of the natural coping mechanisms written to our code might do more harm than good in the greater scheme of things. Experiencing something first hand is also always harder, and you can't even begin to imagine how someone else treats those feelings. Transferring these instances to the world of music, it's always untold what'll happen if a band loses one of it's members. It can go multiple ways, and we as an audience have to respect that decision.

This scenario sadly came to reality with the Spanish sci-fi tech death group Wormed last year, when they lost their drummer G-Calero, whose outstanding performance can be heard on their latest full-length, 2016's "Krighsu". Soon after the news broke, Wormed announced that they will continue their trek to the unimaginably immense, unexplored depths of the cosmos, hence giving their listeners a moment of relief with a promise of new music. Approximately a year from that, they announced their new EP titled "Metaportal" will be released on July 19th, through Season of Mist.

"Metaportal" continues the previous albums lead character Krighsu's (who is the very last posthuman being in a robotised galaxy, mind you) voyage to the vast void. Krighsu must ingress a colossal metaportal of unknown origin, in order to help a galactic system endangered by an abysmal nano-technological war meant to wipe out the last human-derivative being. However desperate and hopeless that might sound, "Metaportal" offers some unexpectedly warm yet inconsolable tones Wormed hasn’t probed before, at least not to this extent. My first impression was that the aforementioned loss might be the direct causation to this. The robotic drones and mechanic hums have been introduced on the previous albums, but this time around they are even more elaborate and emotionally infused. That being said, these refined, fresh aspects don't create a blanding effect, but rather give Wormed's output much needed contrast. The mix is also perhaps more organic than before; Take that as you will, it might sound a bit like a heresy all things considered. The atmosphere is still tightened to extreme proportions at all times, so you will enjoy the tone of this release if you've enjoyed the previous ones.

The EP opens in a signature manner with "Remote Void"; Short intro followed by complete chaos underlaid with gravity blasts and topped with Phlegeton's sewer creature-ish vocals. Habitually, rapid tempo and time signature changes are constantly present, leaving absolutely no room for easement at any point. This is also a trademark motion of Wormed, and considering that alone, the EP format is very fitting and easier to digest by those with less-hardened ears. While the actual song fires with all cylinders throughout, the fresh ambiance pieces make their debut in the end, acting as a bridge to the second track "Cryptoubiquity". This pattern occurs through the whole releases, tying the individual songs together, strengthening the cohesive atmosphere in a similar manner they do on their full-lengths.

The third track "Bionic Relic" showcase the band stretching themselves further than you could've ever imagined. The complexity is taken to a whole new level, leaving the listener baffled, wondering how it is humanely possible to perform music like this. Even after taking into account their absurd past work, you'll hear a band continuously pushing itself to become greater, and that is perhaps the most beautiful aspect to Wormed overall. They already master their craft, there is not a single other band sounding like this, but instead of beaming those familiar and safe grounds, they refine and improve themselves. The finest examples of this progression might be the groovy parts in "Cryptoubiquity" that'll make your legs twitch uncontrollably even harder than before and the slamming parts, long blast beat sections crusted with melodies and just the general oddity and excitement caused by it during "Bionic Relic".

The closing track "E-Xystem://CE" throws some really unexpected curveballs at your way before going back to more customary pace, mostly in terms of the piano intro, followed by a calm and lanquid, emotive palm mutes vs open chords section and a somewhat new(!) vocal style. This track highlights some previously unexamined colours through catchy rhythms and eerie melodies that'll get stuck in your head permanently. As a weird little fact, towards the end I had to take off my headphones because I thought something was breaking. I was correct in a way, but instead of failing technology, what was broken was my spirit and well-being. Still, in a rather positive way. Since this is a mini-release, you won't get to exhausted or worn out as you could with a full-length, which adds to the tolerable and pleasant side of things. However, Wormed has all the tools to transplant these tones to their albums, so "Metaportal" could lead to some inconceivable, seriously mindboggling results.

What's for sure, is that if you didn't like them before, you won't like them now, that's just how it is. A lot of intricacies will get lost if you're not familiar with their older efforts. Wormed is also that kind of band who has it's time and place, and it's by no means fitting to all occasions. Another thing that it certain is, that you will love "Metaportal" if you liked what you heard on "Exodromos" and "Krighsu". You also have to appreciate the time and detail put into the lyrics, narrating a developing and branching story that doesn't pale in comparison to those sci-fi films that fly so far over your head. Without descending into any more tautologies, you could educate yourself by reading these lyrics even if you didn't enjoy the music at all, and that speaks about their value quite a lot. I know I am interested in where the metaportal came from and what Krighsu will discover after taking the leap and can't even begin to explain the excitement I'm having for the follow-up.

“Metaportal” is available HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

REVIEW: MØL, "I/II"

By: Eeli Helin

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 07/06/19

Label: Holy Roar Recordings,

Deathwish Inc

”I/II” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Sundrowned

2. Airy

3. Makhachkala

4. Kathexis

5. Atacama

6. Rush

The Review:

Some great waves were put forth last year in the European shoegaze/post-metal scene, when the Danish quintet MØL released their debut album "Jord", through Holy Roar Records. Whenever a band like this comes along the way, a lot of people are eager to dive into their past, looking for any possible prior material. That seems to pay off on many occasions, since most bands today make their demos available through streaming sites, and usually release EP's or other smaller releases before tackling their first full-length. Same goes for MØL, who released their first two EP's in '14 and '15, first carrying the bands name and second being simply "II".  These EP's were then remastered and re-released as a compilation on June 7th through Holy Roar and Deathwish on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

Firstly, the bands style is extremely hard to put simply. The shoegaze/post-metal title in the first paragraph could also use the atmospheric black metal prefix, hence creating just another monster of a genre list for people too busy to actually listen to the music. That's also a tad problematic in today’s music scene; why everything has to be put to strict boxes, when people everywhere are encouraged to be and do what they want to do and not to care about external pressure and limitations? Well, this planet has a lot more work to do with that, so could we at least throw the genre cages to the garbage bin? Okay? Thank you.

Titled respectively as "I/II", the two EP's deserve to finally get a broader release. While you can argue all you want about the necessity of such thing because "digital this and digital that", the fact is that the music world is full of enthusiastic people that want the well-made, eye-pleasing physical copies of albums and that is perfectly fine. The key in having the tracks remastered is to boost up the atmosphere/clarity department and make the old work stand in line with the bands current one, and that's exactly what MØL has done with these EP's. It also has to be kept in mind that regardless of the additional polishing, the tracks themselves are still the old ones. So, the worst thing you should do is to expect any groundbreaking "wow" factors to appear anywhere, if you are already familiar with the old releases.

But the songs, they are good and have stood time better than most. The band also of course knows that, because they aren't exactly in a cash grab position that would "justify" digging up old demos and throwing them to their audience like scraps, which is something that bigger, bland and unimaginative acts tend do ever so often. Side A opens with "Sundrowned", the bands ignition. I personally wasn't aware of MØL before their full-lengths release, but it's easy to say in hindsight that their signature output was already present when they started out. The driving drum beat and painting distant guitars weave a beautiful web for you to coil. A lot of this bands essence has to do with creating mental landscapes through sound, and they excel in it. Similar patterns are vivid through the second track, "Airy". By similar, I mean by aesthetic. Both of these tracks you have to listen to multiple times until you get a grasp of what's happening, since they are overall as the second track suggests, very airy compositionally. The third song "Makhachkala" then again is where it's at. Starting with more black metal oriented feeling and blast beats until proceeding to clean passages, the track is the first longer one and goes to show how MØL thrives in a more ample setting, bouncing between the extremes.

Side B commences with "Kathexis", and early on it's clear that their songwriting somewhat matured between the creation of the second EP. The tracks still carry similar instrumentation, but all of them are more varied and structurally more interesting. Taking both releases into account, the following track "Atacama" shines the brightest. Taking a bit unexpected turns along its way, you'll also notice the aforementioned growth in their writing. The black metal-esque, high pitched howling vocals also have more raw emotion and feeling on this second half. You will get shivers from them, which only adds to the sense of completion you'll get from listening to this. The final track "Rush" doesn't offer any new angles to their output, but acts as a fitting closure for the release.

It's clear that these two releases are meant to be listened to as one entity, which is why this re-release is really fitting. Even if you heard "Jord" before these, you will still enjoy the tracks and won't get the "demo" feeling from them at any point. My only problem with "I/II" is the fact that it gets monotonous on times, which is something they managed to avoid better on their debut LP. Still, it's not a surprise that MØL caught Holy Roar's attention. Music like this doesn't come around that often, especially when speaking about the production side of things. Purists will whine and complain, but let them do that. In the end they're the ones missing out on everything.

”I/II” is available HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

TRACK PREMIERE: Orbiter deliver thick heavy riffs on "Paper Priest"

Orbiter slings thick and heavy guitar riffs cured in the Florida heat and bolstered by a thundering rhythm section. The musical onslaught provides the backdrop for songs about diving headfirst into the darkness while at the same time trying not to fly right off the planet. The band will release their new record “Southern Failures” on the 26/07/2019 and today we’re stoked to debut a cut from it, so if you’re a fan of Torche, Quicksand, The Jesus Lizard, Black Sabbath, Helmet, dial up your stereo to 11, press play and check the awesome track “Paper Priest”.  Preorders from the album are available  HERE

Band info: bandcamp || instagram || facebook

ALBUM PREMIERE: Boston sludge/post metal titans Cazador debut “FAILURE TO THRIVE"

One of the best kept secrets in the Boston underground scene (and we all know how fucking awesome that scene is) CAZADOR have been dishing out their sonic brew to audiences in New England since 2015.  Blending a thick and gloomy sludge atmosphere with the melody and urgency of post-metal and hardcore, this act has begun to emerge as one of the more unique and raw up-and-coming sludge acts.  I guess it goes without saying upon listening to their music that major influences include the post-metal/sludge titans of Isis and Neurosis, however what differs them from other derivative acts in the genre is their fusion with the melodic hardcore sensibilities of such luminaries as Deftones and Poison the Well.

Upon the release of their studio debut “BROKEN SUN” in May 2017, and a subsequent tour of the Northeast and Midwest, CAZADOR made themselves known as a quietly charismatic collective with an emotional edge through their impassioned, high-energy performances.  With their new full-length titled FAILURE TO THRIVE readied for release on July 12^th, the collective is very much looking forward to the future while expanding their sonic horizons and sharing their unique brand of emotionally charged sludge with the masses. 

According to the band, the new LP reflects a sublime focus on the natural human negativity bias that forces us all to cope with the slow-burning decay of our world by the minute.  “FAILURE TO THRIVE” includes lyrics filled with anger and resilience juxtaposed with lush and solemn compositions combined to create melancholic anthems for a new generation of the jaded. “FAILURE TO THRIVE” will be released on July 12th, 2019, so go ahead and dive into the album below with our exclusive album stream.  Turn it up loud and let your speakers die!! Preorders are being taken HERE 

Band info: Facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Friendship. "Undercurrent"

By: Eeli Helin

Album Type: Full-length

Date Released: 14/06/19

Label: Southern Lord Recordings,
Daymare Recordings

”Undercurrent” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Demise

2. Vertigo

3. Punishment

4. Lack

5. Abandon

6. Fiend

7. Plague

8. Garbage

9. Wrecker

10. Hatred

The Review:

Japan's Friendship ground their way to peoples consciousness with their 2017's debut LP ”Hatred”, that saw the seemingly unknown band deliver a unique hybrid of grindcore, powerviolence and sludge that left everyone wondering what it was that so violently and suddenly hit them. Released digitally and on CD by Daymare Recordings and on vinyl by Southern Lord Recordings, they now return with their highly anticipated second full-length titled ”Undercurrent”. The vicious blend of the aforementioned styles has been taken to a higher and more ruthless level, guaranteed to make your ears bleed and slap your blank, music police faces profoundly throughout its duration.

The album starts with a longer drone/feedback intro until starting an inextinguishable fire on "Vertigo". The track itself is a promise of an excellent album, wavering through d-beat passages and blast beats into a colossal breakdown and back to where it started. The following burst titled "Punishment" delivers what it states. The track, and the whole album for that matter, is punishing and unrelenting to the point of being exhausting. This is where the shorter running time comes to play, since shorter albums like this are easier to manage and you won't get that listeners fatigue at any point. From the beginning, Friendship's influences are quite apparent, but whereas the previous album lacked originality to a certain extent, "Undercurrent" makes up for that, providing a strong bedrock for the band to build on.

The exquisite, self-dependent writing is mostly distinct towards the latter part of the album. Tracks like "Fiend", "Plague" and "Wrecker" stuff more filth in a few minutes than a lot of bands do throughout their entire albums. There's a lot of variety and well placed hooks all around, which makes Friendship stand out as an interesting act that will certainly give you your money's worth. That being said, this album will fly over the heads of those who are not familiar with this type of aggressive, constantly pummeling execution. Others are born to it, others will never tolerate it, but if you keep an open mind, it is rewarding as hell when material like this comes along the way. While the band is still young, finding their own voice so early on is really exciting and interesting, and erects high expectations for whatever it is that they'll do next.

The only pothole they trip on a few times on "Undercurrent", is the repetition of similar song structures. Gladly this doesn't dominate the feeling of the entire album, you won't get the vibe of having the same song on repeat for ten times. These few dips and bends are overshadowed by the sheer brutality and suprisingly concrete, honest emotion, yet by the end you might have hoped that they would have explored themselves a bit further than they did. I don't find it necessary to get too much into it, but perhaps some slower and muddier tracks along the way could've made a significant change to the albums musical narration. Yes, there is slower, monumental riffs throughout, but they tend to lead up to the same, fast-paced conclusion from time to time.

Not to leave with a negative statement, "Undercurrent" is an album that every grindcore/powerviolence aficionado should check out as soon as possible. Highly akin to the kinds of Full of Hell and Nails, Friendship are bound to become a house hold name in the scene as their predecessors. They've already managed to generate a good amount of buzz within the last few years, and now on "Undercurrent" they prove themselves to be hungrier than ever. Having the support of the previously mentioned notable labels, there's no telling to where Friendship will head off to from here.

”Undercurrent” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Morass of Molasses, “The Ties That Bind”

By: Chris Bull

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 07/06/2019

Label: Wasted State Records

“As a live act, MOM are an unstoppable force, taking the audience on a journey and able to uplift and perplex in equal measure; with 'The Ties That Bind', they have released an album that captures their live magic.”

“The Ties That Bind” DD//LP track listing:

1. The Darkening
2. Woe Betide
3. Death of All
4. Estranger
5. Legend of the Five Sons
6. As Leaves Fall
7. Persona Non Grata
8. In Our Sacred Skin
9. The Deepest Roots

The Review:  

Morass of Molasses can stake a claim of being one of the hardest working bands in the UK with their relentless touring and balls to the wall live performances, 'The Ties That Bind', their second full length is a testament to this.

After the brief intro of 'The Darkening', first song proper 'Woe Betide' sees MOM's trademark sexy doom riffs and non traditional approach to song writing pushed to the forefront. (Relatively) new drummer Raj Puni is an excellent addition to MOM, his fills and runs punctuate the songs and act as a counterbalance to the bluesy chops as evident on 'Death To All' and the Stevie Ray Vaughan like 'Estranger'.

Vocalist Bones is at his soulful best here, sounding almost like a throwback to 90s britpop before the melodic bellows shine through. While their plentiful riffs are a powerful weapon in their arsenal, the most potent is their use of melody; 'Legend Of The Five Sons' (featuring the vocal talents of Alunah's Sian Greenway) and 'As Leaves Fall' sounding like they wouldn't be out of place on a Jethro Tull album with folky guitar work and yes, flute creating layers of beautiful musical scenery.

'Persona Non Grata' contrasts the previous tracks and is the quintessential MOM track with Bones' post hardcore screams delivering the goods over Phil Williams' trademark stoner/blues/doom licks. The production is top notch, each element never sounding more than the sum of its parts but still prevalent in the mix enough to be picked out, this may be most evident on the stomping 'In Our Sacred Skin'. As the off kilter drumming and acoustic guitar builds to a 70s prog freak out, the riffs, creamier than a teenage boy's socks, envelope and hug the listener before the dark folk tinged 'The Deepest Roots', which also features Sian Greenway. By far, the most experimental track, at the halfway point, the musical textures build upon the tremendous percussion and weaves a musical tapestry unlike anything else.

As a live act, MOM are an unstoppable force, taking the audience on a journey and able to uplift and perplex in equal measure; with 'The Ties That Bind', they have released an album that captures their live magic. The fact that they are some of the nicest people is an added bonus. Breathtaking stuff. 

“The Ties That Bind” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook