Release
date: October 11th 2016. Label: Argonauta Records and Init Records -
CDs, Throne Records – Vinyl and Tartarus Records - Cassette.
Format: Cassette/CD/DD/Vinyl
The Order
Of Things – Tracklisting
The
Sick Present
Bait
for Maggots
R
P A
Being
and/or Nothingness
Education
for Death
Disorder
of Things
The
Greater Dying
Band
Members:
E
J
P
R
Review:
SUMA
return with their first album in six years and it’s an album that
comes with a heavy expectation. Soma’s blend of Doom/Stoner Metal
has progressed into a bleaker style of Sludge/Post-Metal. Their new
album –The Order Of Things – is perhaps SUMA’s most progressive
and forward thinking album to date. The album feels like a statement
on the modern world. Or just what SUMA think of the world since
they’ve been away for the last few years or so.
Opening
track – The Sick Present – is an instrumental ambient song with
SUMA merging distorted soundclips that opens the album to a loud wall
of noise. It has a cold depressing feel to it as the band show you
what to expect for the next hour or so.
Second
track – Bait For Maggots – sees SUMA bringing familiar
progressive riffs and sounds seen on past releases though the band
deliver a harsher style of sludge/post-metal delivery. The harsh
soundscapes and vocals leave the listener with a cold and desolate
feeling. The instrumental work is relentless from the start as SUMA
unleash fast-paced riffs buried under a ton of Sludge/Post-Metal
brutality.
Third
Track – RPA – is another nine-minute plus epic where SUMA build
upon layers of distorted noise before adding elements of heavy
ambient doom. SUMA return to their earlier Stoner Metal sound for the
first few moments of this song as they add a vintage psychedelic feel
to their music. The song soon returns to the distorted
sludge/post-metal sounds from the opening two tracks.
The vocals can be very hard to understand to listen to as the
instrumental work is the main focus here. This song feels SUMA were
influenced by YOB and Neurosis as RPA has a similar style and
structure those two bands are known for. The final ninety seconds of
RPA is one of the standout moments of the album as SUMA create drone
based noises that merge Doom and Psych riffs with a heavy Sludge
based groove.
The
next part of the album sees SUMA go under a minor transformation of
sorts. Drone becomes the main backdrop for SUMA to build their music
upon. The haunting soundclips that appear on Being And or Nothingness
offer perhaps some of the bleakest moments on the album.
SUMA
return to their normal Progressive Doom/Sludge Metal sounds on the
final three songs – Education For Death, Disorder Of Things and The
Greater Dyinjg. It’s quite a challenge to listen to these songs as
SUMA create moments of pure terrifying Doom with the distorted noises
and vocals being very hard to understand. The production is intense
from the start. It has to be as SUMA need this platform to preach
their nightmarish based sounds.
The Order
Of Things is a complex and challenging album to listen to. It’s not
as accessible as their previous albums but it’s perhaps their most
defining work to date. My final thoughts is that The Order Of Things is
an album that not only deserves your undivided attention but it
ultimately demands it.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Barbara at NeeCee Agency for the promo. Argonauta Records and Init Records are releasing CDs, Throne Records are releasing Vinyl and Tartarus Records are releasing Cassette. All from October 11th 2016.
Links:
