Release Date: May 12th 2023. Record Label: Church Road Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Last Days Of A Dying World- Tracklisting
1.Cloudsplitter 08:54
2.Beirut Shores
3.Seawall
4.Ether Fields
5.Death, Emperor
Members
Matt
Flynn
Michael
Aaron
Review
Burial Clouds were originally an instrumental band before acclaimed Actor/Musician Michael Malarkey joined their ranks. Burial Clouds sound draws upon areas of Psych, Doom, Grunge, Post-Metal with the band perhaps using bands such as ISIS, YOB, Pallbearer and Alice In Chains as a creative template.
Their debut album Last Days Of A Dying World is a dark and despairing emotionally charged collection of tracks that allows Burial Clouds to have a sense of real human warmth. Long drawn out Doom based Post-Metal passages merge into classic sounding Grunge elements with Michael’s vocals having shades of Layne Staley behind them. Though, Michael does perform heavier and harsh sounding vocals for the more brutal parts of the album which appears convincingly on outstanding opening track Cloudsplitter.
Cloudsplitter offers a challenging and complex vision of different Post-Metal styles where the subtle use of Grunge and Doom allow the song to be both classic and contemporary sounding. The heavy sludgy grooves offer an emotional “Post-Whatever” dynamic that has an epic YOB-esque feeling. Burial Clouds stand on their own creative vision thanks to the use of distorted Sludge Metal grooves.
Second song Beirut Shores offers a more damaged perspective with the emotionally charged speech that opens the song. The stripped back guitars and Michael’s vocals have a more Alt-Rock and Shoegaze effect that makes it quite different to the opening track. More soulful and peaceful to begin with before Burial Clouds start adding the Post-Metal dynamics for a different style of heaviness. The semi-acoustic elements become more forceful and perhaps the best parts of the song.
Third track Seawall opens with a cool sounding piano intro and traces of Spaced Out noises before bringing in a thunderous Psychedelic Sludge atmosphere to the album. The grungy element is still there but it’s buried under frantic moments of Thrash, Drone and Distorted Doom. The vocals are also more chaotic but have a sense of purpose to them. Perhaps the heaviest and aggressive track on the album which shows a different side to Burial Clouds. The second half of the song returns to the Grunge arena for vital moments of clarity.
The final two tracks of Ether Fields and “Death, Emperor” bring a more emotionally driven style of music from Burial Clouds and especially from Michael. His vocals are impressive with Michael showing different sides to his musical persona when singing clean based or the more aggressive extreme style that he uses as well. The instrumental work is intensive with this being perhaps the most DOOM based part of the album with “Death, Emperor” being another one of the standout tracks.
Last Days Of A Dying World is HEAVY, EPIC and EMOTIONAL as they come. Burial Clouds have created an album that delivers on all fronts. With stunning production values throughout the album, this album is packed full of beautiful emotionally charged moments with exciting heavy Doom/Post-Metal grooves from start to finish.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Justine at Church Road Records.
Last Days Of A Dying World will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Church Road Records from May 12th 2023.
Links
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