Saturday 25 June 2016

Tides Of Sulfur - Extinction Curse (Album Review)


Release date: July 16th 2016. Label: Black Bow Records. Format: CD/DD

Extinction Curse – Tracklisting

1. Eternal Bleeding
2. Of Suffering and Grief
3. Woe To You O Destroyer
4. Maltheist
5. Extinction Curse
6. Iron Fists Shall Rust
7. Year of Pigs

Band Members:

Anthony 'Snake' O'Shea-Shredding/Apparitions
Chris Bull-Throat/Low-End Assault/Noise
Tom Lee-Battery

Review:

You magnificent Welsh bastards.....

You've only gone and released one of the most exciting debut records I've heard since Bast put out Spectres (both bands signed to Black Bow Records by way of a coincidence?)

Not unlike Bast in as much as they have become firmly entrenched in the thriving doom/sludge movement sweeping the land at present, but to simply leave it there would do them a disservice. A point proved by some of the bands they have played with that wouldn't be considered doom. (Google it)

There are elements of Black Metal, thrash, blast-beats all married together with the low and slow stuff. Clean sections, heavy sections and Tides make use of the fact that all three of them can sing to great effect. Layer upon layer of diversity is what's on offer here. Like a wedding cake. Made of riffs.

Recorded at Skyhammer by Chris Fielding and mastered by Steve Austin (because Stone Cold says so....) you know that this record sounds magnificent.

Now make no mistake about it, I'm a big fan of this band. The band and the lads themselves. Our bands had the pleasure of touring together earlier this year (alongside the glorious Victorian Whore Dogs) and it was a pleasure to get to watch them night after night deliver the goods. But even that didn't prepare me for the barrage of riffs that came tumbling out of my speakers when I hit play on this record.

From opening track "Eternal Bleeding" through to the final moments of album closer "Year Of Pigs" Tides don't put a foot out of place, and there isn't a needless moment on this record.

Standout track for me probably being "Maltheist" with its haunting and jarring guitar melody delivered over some of the heaviest riffs I've heard in ages, all backed up by some truly powerful drumming and vocals that are lower than the value of the pound after a referendum.

To sum it up Tides Of Sulfur have added themselves to the list of albums coming out this year, that will challenge and reward lovers of heavy music. You thought you'd heard heavy music before? Guess again....

You can catch the Tides Of Sulfur live experience at Red Sun Festival in Cardiff over the last weekend of July to keep you going until the album is released.

Words by Simon Ross Williams

Thanks to Curtis at Dewar PR for the promo. Extinction Curse will be available to buy via Black Bow Records on CD from July 16th 2016.

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