Release Date: June 11th 2021. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Beneath - Tracklisting
1 - Ab Initio
2 - Green Fire
3 - Eclipse
4 - Mirrors
5 - Grey
Members
Kevin Antunes (bass)
Maxime Lesage (drums),
Raphael Guichard (vox)
Remi la Marne (guitar)
Simon Leroy (guitar)
Review
Beneath is the debut full length album from Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metallers Tremor Ama and this is an album that will appeal to fans of Mastodon and Baroness. With the band playing a similar classical style of Prog Sludge/Stoner Metal though Tremor Ama add a world-weary Psychedelic sensibility to their sound and you can’t help being pulled into their gloomy Post-Rock themes on the record as well.
The record starts off rather slowly with the opening instrumental Post-Doom/Post-Rock offering Ab Initio and shows the main foundation or building blocks on how Tremor Ama deliver the majority of their sound. Coming from the world of Pelican and Russian Circles initially before slowly closing off the song with high confidence.
Second song - Green Fire - carries on the opening Doomgaze grooves on the opening song before Raphael’s vocals come into focus and the band shift to a heavier style of Psych Sludge/Stoner Rock whilst maintaining the Post-Rock themes. This allows Tremor Ama to be slightly cautious and optimistic at the same time with the bleak lyrics and heavy progressive sludgy grooves that appear on the song. The swirling Psychedelic noises add an “Alternative” feel and Tremor Ama bring a fresh “Shoegaze” perspective to the record.
Third song - Eclipse - allows Tremor Ama more opportunities to delve further down their dark creative path with the band bringing a “less is more” approach whilst remaining that heavy Sludge/Stoner Rock edge. The Baroness vibe is none so evident on this song but the band are wise enough to switch things up and play darker styles of Sludge/Stoner Rock.
The final two songs on the album - Mirrors and Grey - are the best parts of the album with some of the heaviest sounds and best lyrics being held on these two songs with Mirrors perhaps being the standout track on the album.
Mirror is HEAVY without being HEAVY. It’s hard to explain but Tremor Ama really hit their creative stride on the final two songs and wanted this album to be slightly longer than 32 minutes. I wanted a couple more songs but Tremor Ama have delivered a wicked slice of Psychedelic Sludge/Stoner Metal that is a thrilling and adventurous wild ride.
Boosted by fantastic production values, Beneath sounds excellent from start to finish and if you miss the good old days of Blue Record era - Baroness - then Tremor Ama are the answer to your musical prayers,
Words by Steve Howe
Beneath will be available to buy on CD/DD from June 11th 2021 and Vinyl from August 2021.
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