Release
date: March 31st
2017. Label: Self Released. Format: DD
II
– Tracklisting
1.XI 11:11
2.XII 08:21
3.XIII 09:28
4.XIV 07:23
Review
Grey Widow return with
their Blackened Sludge fused take on Doom Metal. Produced by Chris
Fielding of CONAN fame, this album sees the band create a bleaker and
more miserable experience than their debut album. Full of heavy
filthy sounds with a slight industrial feel, Grey Widow leave no
stone unturned in projecting a wall of misery for people to survive
from.
The album contains 4
tracks and they all follow the same template of heavy distorted
sounds that walk a thin line between light and darkness. The songs
are played at a slow pace and that allows Grey Widow to firmly remain
in the darkness whilst they create pitch black doomy atmospherics.
The vocals are punishing to hear at times especially on the excellent
opening track – XI.
Grey Widow are a band
who have a “TAKE NO PRISONERS” approach. This is music for people
who like their riffs – dark, depressing and noisy as hell. The
album may sound like it has a simple approach but hidden under all
the twisted noise rock/metal sounds, Grey Widow have written some
uncompromising lyrics to match the bleak cluster-fuck currently going
on around you.
The band do manage to
add elements of Stoner Metal on tracks such as XIII. It maybe hard to
find as it's buried under a ton of blackened sludge metal riffs that
even sees Grey Widow venture into the realm of Black Metal. Grey
Widow are maybe trying to hard at times to bring back their earlier
Stoner Metal riffs and merging it with a more nightmarish sound.
Though when it does work, the results are undeniably brave and
addictive at the same time.
With Chris Fielding
behind the production, you know the album sounds fantastic from the
start. Though this is Grey Widow's show and they have created a heavy
and bleak monolithic experience that ultimately demands your full
attention. Not for the faint-hearted. Listen to this album if you're
feeling brave enough.....
Words
by Steve Howe
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