Release Date: May 27th 2022. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD
Falling Fathoms - Tracklisting
1.In Waves 11:19
2.Falling Fathoms 08:10
3.Controlled Burn 10:33
4.Relief 07:12
Members
Jeff Larch - Drums, Backing Vocals
Matthew Merchant - Guitar, Guitar Synth
Dan Simone - Vocals, Guitar, Guitar Synth
Joe Fortunato - Bass, Bass Synth
Review
Falling Fathoms is the new album from Post-Rock/Post-Stoners Slow Wake and their sound is a mixture of Psych Rock, Space Rock and Doomed Out Effects. An album that should have no trouble drawing in the crowds from the Doom, Stoner and Psych Rock underground. There’s an ethereal feeling to this album with heavy pounding grooves when Slow Wake leaves the “Post-Whatever” environments behind. The vocals have an Alt-Rock flow with an emotional core to them.
The album is at it’s best when Slow Wake add Pelican based Psychedelic Atmospherics with grungy guitars collide for a striking style of music which you can hear to full effect on superb opening song In Waves. A song that wisely combines Ambient Post-Rock sounds with distorted amplifier based Stoner/Doom grooves when the song fully gets moving along to its full potential. The Prog Rock textures are subtly handled and allows Slow Wake to play epic modern day Stoner riffs that do have some epic FEEDBACK levels.
The album lasts around thirty eight minutes but feels longer thanks to the band’s clever use of different styles of music and that is a great thing. As you can spend more time with this great band. Slow Wake weaves complex musical imagination with top-notch instrumental work that really comes alive on songs such as Falling Fathoms and Controlled Burn.
There is a hidden Sludge Rock/Metal core to Slow Wake’s music with the Psychedelic Ambient Sounds allowing the band the creativity to apply distorted rhythms and glorious amplifier feedback throughout the album.
The lead vocals from Dan and backing vocals from Jeff are bang on point. Never too flashy. They’re pitch perfect for an album such as this. Excellent lyrics allow Slow Wake to bring real emotion to this album.
Maybe Slow Wake are hard to categorise at times with their multiple styles of music they employ for this album. Falling Fathoms was an unexpected delight for myself. As I never heard the band before but this album made me a fan especially when you can hear those brilliant sounding YOB based melodies on the title track which is my favourite track on the album.
First rate production values with the band co-producing with Chris Martin propel this album to be one of the best undiscovered Post-Rock/Post-Stoner bands currently within the underground scene.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to the band for the promo.
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