ALBUM REVIEW: Nomadic Rituals - "Marking the Day"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/02/2017

Label: Independent

This is the heaviest thing I've heard in a while. Hopeless, ugly, vicious, and pissed off slabs of soul destroying death-doom is what we get here. This music makes me want to burn down my neighborhood and wallow in the remaining sludgy aftermath.

“Marking the Day” CD//DD track listing:

1). From Nothing

2). Expansion

3). Far From the Sun

4). Watching the Cycles

5). Narrow of the Light

6). Face Down in the Sea of Oblivion

The Review:

Nomadic Rituals is a three piece band from Belfast, United Kingdom. This album is my first introduction to them and I am quite impressed. The new record is called "Marking the Day," and is scheduled to be released on February 17th, 2017.  The music captured here is for people who are into the dirtiest and raunchiest purveyors of sludgy, death-doom. Fans of Noothgrush, Indian, Serpentine Path, and Morbid Evils should definitely check this out immediately. The first track, "From Nothing," slowly eases the listener in and serves as a fitting introduction to what unfolds on the rest of the album's six unrelenting tracks, which ultimately clock in at a mammoth sixty minutes total running time.

The second track, "Expansion," has some nice chug and groove going on, and is slightly reminiscent of early Celtic Frost hooks. On the third track, "Far From the Sun," the song begins with a brief and extremely tasteful use of ultra low, Tibetan monk/gregorian chant style of clean vocals making this one a standout of the album for me. These vocals are very adequately executed and suits the band well to contrast and accent everything else, in my opinion. On track four, "Watching the Cycles," we are given a little room to breathe as this one is loaded with plenty of big chords left to ring out, hum, feedback, and fade away. The fifth track, "Narrowing of the Light," sees the band getting back to the land of chug. It has quite a bit of repetition and an almost mechanical and dissonant feel throughout most of it's eight minutes in length, which to my ears serves as a nod to the almighty Godflesh.

The sixth and final track, "Face Down in the Sea of Oblivion," is a true behemoth. It starts off with the return of those amazing clean vocals which we were teased with in track three, plus adds a velvety dream sequence drum and bass breakdown right before a slithering, harmonious guitar solo sweeps in to take the spotlight and usher in the end of the song. At fourteen and a half minutes, this is the grand finale that the entire preceding works have been preparing us for, to behold its gargantuan unravelling. It is our final journey into the everlasting darkness of the abyss.

All in all, I think this is a great album. The overall tone of the recording is massive and thunderous. The vocals range from being predominantly harsh and scornful to clean and ethereal in a couple of small doses. This is the heaviest thing I've heard in a while. Hopeless, ugly, vicious, and pissed off slabs of soul destroying death-doom is what we get here. This music makes me want to burn down my neighborhood and wallow in the remaining sludgy aftermath. The album is currently available for pre-sale on the artist's bandcamp page and I highly recommend you pick up a copy of this bad boy.

“Marking The Day” is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Noothgrush / Coffins – Split 12" (Review)

Album Type : Split

Date Released : 25/11/2013

Label : Southern Lord

NOOTHGRUSH / COFFINS – SPLIT, album track listing :

1). Noothgrush – Humandemic 03:26

2). Noothgrush – Jundland Wastes 04:55

3). Noothgrush – Thoth 09:01

4). Coffins – Drown in Revelation 06:24

5). Coffins – The Wretched Path 05:23

Review :

This will probably be the last split of the year that I do (apart from my world famous Christmas with Van Damme impression), and even among the company it'll keep in a year of monumental split releases it's still pretty damn special. I reviewed the latest Coffins record from earlier this year, and I loved it so much that it landed on my top 25 for 2013. When you add Noothgrush into the fray you know it's gonna go off like some kind of doom cherry bomb in an unsuspecting toilet. It'll be loud, noisy and more than likely a filthy experience.

It does not fail to impress.

When it comes to the Noothgrush tracks on display here (3 of the total 5), theirs is a less death and doom hybrid affair when compared to Coffins. Obviously still sounds deranged and choking, but a more classic unit by comparison. So begins 'Humandemic', with full on Sabbath style mood. Of course it isn't long before those sick grooves start to roll forth from the speakers. This kind of sludged up repetition of a fine riff is real meat and potatoes stuff, born of disappointment, regret and late nights in holes with whisky soaked clothes. All the truly fulfilling stuff that life can provide. It's a heavy jam, raw and blurry around the edges, and I love it.

The Coffins tracks are filled with more of that truly vicious style that was inflicted upon my ears to full effect on 'The Fleshland'. Like a far chuggier Autopsy, they plough forward like a tank in a field of assorted skulls, and 'Drown In Revelation' wastes very little time in establishing it's dominance. Zero fucking about, even the intro oozes absolute menace. And then it rips into some of the most obnoxiously loud and heavy riffing ever. Those skins sound like the birthing of spiteful cosmic entities; entirely lacking any forgiveness or remorse, and huge in every aspect. They are the very definition of brutal, and in an age where that word gets bounced around an awful lot, please believe me when I tell you that I am most definitely not exaggerating here.

Their other cut and closer of all festivities is 'The Wretched Path'. If anything a more straightforward and I do hesitate to say this, possibly upbeat side of Coffins is dragged out for your consideration. Don't get me wrong, it's hardly Kumbaya around a campfire, but it does almost channel the spirit of 'Holy Mountain' era Sleep, at least to this listener. Of course after you apply generous amounts of gargled vocals and lashings of malice it is a Coffins track, but there is far more groove up for grabs than you would normally expect. And they accomplish it with gusto, bobbing along at a rocking pace, kicking out a hideous jam. It's a sexy sounding slice of doom-mongering, and I heartily approve.

This is another vital split acquisition for this year of 2013. It probably won't shock you to hear that this is being put out on Southern Lord either, who went a whole 12 months without letting me down at all. Two great bands, one great split, flawless victory. Get your filthy paws on this tremendous tag team of despair today, lest you regret it tomorrow.

Words by :  Matt Fitton

You can buy it here

For more information :

Label: Southern Lord
Noothgrush: Facebook | Twitter
Coffins: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter