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.
