Saturday 25 February 2017

Spaceslug - Time Travel Dilemma (Album Review)


Release date: February 17th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Time Travel Dilemma – Tracklisting

1.Osiris 06:56
2.Living The Eternal Now 08:40
3.The Great Pylon Collider 05:41
4.Parahorizon 10:47
5.What Falls Is Fallen 01:56
6.Time Travel Dilemma 10:07


Band Members:

Bartosz Janik - Guitars/Vocals
Jan Rutka - Bass/Vocals
Kamil Ziółkowski - Drums/Vocals

Review

Spaceslug's new album - Time Travel Dilemma - is a worthy follow-up to last year's debut album. This time Spaceslug have become heavier and spaced out as result. Opening track - Osiris - is a song that blends Doom, Stoner and Psych riffs with the band adding a more progressive feel.

Parts Monster Magnet and Sleep style sonic vibrations allow the band to create their own style of spaced out sounds. Expect to hear impressive guitar solos towards the end of the song with ambient noises giving the album a more epic feel compared to their debut album. The vocals from Bartosz - drift in and out at different times as Spaceslug let their music be in full command.

Second track - Living The Eternal Now - opens with a more laid back style of Psych/Stoner Rock with the mood verging being one of Post-Rock. Though Spaceslug return to their normal heavy ways with loud Doom/Stoner riffs making their appearance known. The dual vocals offer a different approach as they have an almost Light vs Dark vibe around them. The voiceover included in the song gives it a more emotional feel. It sounds very familiar to the voiceover that appeared on Yob's last album. I could be wrong though.

Anyway Spaceslug continue with their sci-fi based progressive journey with the third track - The Great Pylon Collider - and it's a straight up Doom/Stoner Rock song that shows Spaceslug doing what they do best. Creating heavy riffs with a cool sludge groove. The vocals have a slight grunge influence around them. Fourth track - Parahorizon - is my fave track off the album as it's an epic eleven minute song with Spaceslug merging Ambient Post-Rock sounds with their trademark Doom/Psych/Stoner riffs. It's a very calming and soothing song to begin with the slowly played psych riffs but as before, the band always return to their heavier and more destructive ways.

The final two tracks - What Falls Is Fallen and Time Travel Dilemma - offer twelve final minutes before Spaceslug have to move onto another time or dimension. What Falls Is Fallen is a very short track running under two minutes or so. Spaceslug manage to explore the realm of Electronica with hints of Psych Stoner appearing. I normally dismiss these short songs as they're mainly used to fill in blank space. Not this time as the band create a haunting song that really adds to the whole experience of the album.

The final song is Time Travel Dilemma. Another ten minute plus offering with the band starting with a keyboard/electronica driven sound. The vocals have a more restrained feel before the heavy sounds appear at the right time. The song has different moments of psych rock spliced among the familiar Doom/Stoner sounds. Time Travel Dilemma is superbly produced throughout. Spaceslug deserve credit for creating such a vast universe on this great album.

Time Travel Dilemma is a magnificent album. What more can be said, apart from you need this album.

Words by Steve Howe

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