Release
date: April 18th
2016. Label: Self Released. Format: DD
Suzerain
– Tracklisting
1.Seed
& Soil
2.Mourning
Light
3.Suzerain
4.Black
Vein
Band
Members:
Ben
- Guitar
Mirgy
- Vocals
Nick
- Drums
Wilson
- Bass, Vocals
Review:
Australian
Doom/Sludge Metallers – Merchant – create a bleak blend of
Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal. Merchant show huge potential on their
debut album Suzerain as they create highly progressive Neurosis/YOB
style sludge/doom sounds with the band injecting an almost blackened
sludge metal feel to the mix.
Opening
track – Seed & Soil – sets the tone and atmosphere for the
whole album. Merchant play dark and epic pounding riffs with almost
indecipherable vocals that may put some people off the album. If you
have the patience for an album such as this then you will find much
to enjoy and admire here. The psychedelic noises bring a welcome
distraction to the filth and decay that Merchant expertly create
throughout the album.
The
production is handled superbly well as the album has a rich and heavy
complex sound that only adds to the highly volatile atmosphere of the
album. Second track Morning Light is another progressive nightmarish
track sees the band change their sound between post-metal, doom and
post-black metal. It’s quite a bass heavy affair with the pounding
drums leaving you in a daze at times. The vocals and lyrical content
are very bleak which more than matches the harsh sonic riffs being
played around you.
Third
track – Suzerain – is a twenty minute epic and perhaps the
centrepiece of the whole album. Merchant create an almost tribal
experience merged with the familiar depressing Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal
style that Neurosis created back in the day. The vocals are kept
firmly in the background for the first part of the song but Merchant
experiment with their sound as Merchant bring heavy layers of
experimental noise and you never know how it’s going to end. It’s
quite a bruising encounter of extreme music your putting yourself
through but it's never boring. Merchant demand your attention from
start to finish. Psychedelic noises and bass heavy guitars could give
doom metal heavyweights Conan a run for their money.
The
final track – Black Vein – closes the album the way it started.
Long drawn out doom/sludge based riffs with the band playing a faster
style of music compared to the other tracks on the album. Merchant
have created a menacing and quite frankly punishing album. It doesn't
offer any easy answer though Merchant will have you coming back for
more punishment as they have created a stunning debut album that is
bound to get them noticed in the Sludge/Doom Metal scene.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended. You can read my interview with the band here.
Words
by Steve Howe
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