Release
date: November 20th
2015. Label: Indie Recordings Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Kosmokoma
– Tracklisting
1.Return
Of The Kolomon
2.Your
Soul Deserves To Die Twice
3.Principal
Features Of The Cult
4.Gravity
Giants
5.Charades
6.Knows
Sees Tells All
7.Claw
It In Your Eyes
8.It
Might Be The Lights
9.Cheating
The Gallows
10.Future
Sky Batteries
11.Space
Punch
Band
Members:
Brent
Vanneste: guitars/vocals
Joris
Casier: drums
Jesse
Surmont: bass
Cis
Deman: guitars
Review:
Steak
Number Eight describe themselves as an atmospheric sludge band and
this description is certainly apt regarding their new album
Kosmokoma, the band have obviously retained the sludge element that
defined their previous albums but have definitely cranked up the
atmospherics on their latest effort.
Kosmokoma
kicks off with the almost entirely instrumental (save for a few
choice vocals at the end of the track) Return Of The Kolomon, a track
that is in equal turns pummelling and trippily progressive, and it is
this latter style that shapes the whole of the album and for the
better it has to be said. This opening track creates an atmosphere
that doesn't let up for the duration of the album. The epic Your Soul
Deserves To Die Twice follows and is a big song, equally in parts
both mournful and full of anger, it is packed with massive riffs and
tripped out solos and is an early highlight on Kosmokoma.
What
dominates Kosmokoma is just how expansive and epic the bands have
become, Gravity Giants, It Might Be The Lights and Cheating The
Gallows are all vast riff led soundscapes that drag you in and refuse
to let you go. Gravity Giants in particular is a huge brooding
monster of a track built around a gargantuan riff that you lose
yourself in with great ease and is as heavy and all encompassing as
getting stuck and slowly sinking into a tar pit while It Might Be The
Lights and Cheating The Gallows are hugely aggressive and expansive
sludge anthems, the former a huge wave of ferociousness while the
latter is enhanced by a hypnotic vocal style and propelled by a
rolling drum rhythm.
Such
is the sheer musical expansion on show here, it is not just about
pummelling heaviness, there are songs of an epic nature that are
simply expansive musical passages such as the kaleidoscopic Charades,
the vast Future Sky Batteries, the progressive and anthemic Claw It
In Your Eyes and the deeply mournful and laid back psychedelics of
Know See Tells All but one thing unites all of the songs on Kosmokoma
and that is the monolithic riffs that create an atmosphere of losing
yourself to the music and letting yourself go completely and
surrendering yourself completely to the vibe, a vibe that is at times
dark and at others uplifting but one that is always all encompassing.
This is probably best summed up by closing track Space Punch, a track
where its title says it all and a perfect way to finish this album,
just listen to it and you will understand.
Kosmokoma
is the sound of a band unleashing a sound that will embrace you but
then consume you and with this album Steak Number Eight have achieved
what they had previously hinted at, the heaviness of sludge combined
with devouring atmospherics, so jump in, listen intently and let
Kosmokoma completely take over your mind.
Words
by Gavin Brown
Thanks
to Andy at indie Recordings. Kosmokoma will be available to buy on
CD/DD/Vinyl from Indie Recordings on November 20th
2015.
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