Thursday 1 November 2018

MOAB - Trough (Album Review)


Release date: October 19th 2018. Label: Falling Dome Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Trough – Tracklisting

Skeptics Lament 4:09
Into The Sea Swine 3:38
All Automatons 3:40
Moss Grows Where No One Goes 4:53
The Onus 3:37
Medieval Moan 2:38
Fifty Thousand Tons 3:19
The Will Is Weak 4:21
Turnin’ Slow 4:48
Fend For Dawn 4:07

Members

Andrew Giacumakis - Guitar/Vox
Joe Fuentes - Bass

Review

Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metallers MOAB return with their 3rd album – Trough, which has a sound that is influenced by the mighty Black Sabbath. The band released their last album Billow back in 2013. Back then the band were a 3 piece with Erik Herzog on drums. Sadly, Erik passed in 2016.

There was a time when I thought if MOAB would continue as a band or release any records in the future. Well the guys are back with Trough.

Trough does have a different gloomy atmosphere compared to MOAB’s last album. Trough delightfully embraces it’s gloomy psychedelic with MOAB playing a heavy stylized version of 70’s Doom Metal. There are a few cool psychedelic pop sounds spliced throughout the album.

MOAB are not afraid to add a true “heavy metal” guitar sound to the albums overall sound. The album itself is a different album to Billows with opening song – Skeptics Lament, having a lush deep progressive an psychedelic spaced out sound. There’s a few ambient noises being played in the background. The music is a mixture of Doom, Psych, Stoner and Hard Rock vibes that doest take some time to fully come together. The vocals from Andrew are steeped in a heavy monolithic and classic doom sounding atmosphere that feel heavily inspired by Ozzy Osbourne.

MOAB continue the heavy psychedelic sounds on the rest of the album with songs such as: Into The Sea Swine, All Automations, Moss Grows Where No One Goes, The Onus, Fifty Thousand Tons, Turnin’ Slow and Fend For Dawn, being the best songs on the album. Though that’s pretty much of the whole album I’ve listed there.

Most of the songs run for 3 to 4 minutes each in length but all feel consistently longer and that’s down to how progressive and creative all the songs are. MOAB add a lot of different sounds into their music that only draws you into their dark musical world.

The production on Trough is another highlight, as the album sounds very powerful from the start. The instrumental work is dynamically powerful and heavy which is what you need from an album such as this.

Maybe some people will complain that the whole tone and feel of the album can be too similar and doesn’t take enough creative risks. That maybe true from your first listen to Trough. Give the album a few spins and you begin to realize MOAB have their own deep and powerful DOOM based sound.

The final song, Fend For Dawn, sees MOAB play a THRASHIER kind of sound that works superbly well with MOAB’s standard Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal sound.

Overall, Trough is an addictive slice of Psychedelic Doom Metal and one that will offer a few hidden surprises along the way. This is an album to admire, savour and rock out to, all in one go.

Trough is a brilliantly entertaining album and ranks as one of the best albums of the year. No question.

Words by Steve Howe

Trough will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from October 19th 2018 which you can buy here.