Release Date: August 9th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Solaris: Tracklisting
1.Sunrise 07:35
2.Infa 02:02
3.Bones 04:19
4.Ultra 01:29
5.Sunset 05:09
Members
Callum Hicks - Bass & Vocals Jordann Sampson - Guitar Jethro Fagan - Guitar, Vocals & Keys Jason Knight - Drums & Percussion James Versluis - Bass & Keys
Review:
Solaris is the debut EP from Aussie Doom/Stoner/Post-Rock crew Bloodwood and it has a gloomy and gothic attitude within the first few moments of the stunning opening track Sunrise. Bloodwood play a more haunting style of Post-Doom/Post-Stoner melodies with a subtle Alt-Metal trippy creative delivery with the Middle Eastern flavours allowing Sunrise to add a more despairing Desert Rock atmosphere when the heavier progressive sludgy grooves appear.
There’s a lot to take in with Sunrise but the music is superbly constructed with the Post-Rock and Alt-Metal elements of the track. The song can be quite uplifting one moment and deliciously heavy the next as Bloodwood play a fine line of balancing the QUIET vs LOUD grooves of this EP but perhaps with more of a free-flowing Ambient sounds that appear suddenly within the second song of Infa.
Second song Infa has a more Post-Rock/Jazz approach with different instrumental sounds being influenced by the 80’s New Age scene with droned out textures keeping the song firmly grounded.
Third song Bones carries on the Post-Whatever structure of the opening Solaris but with perhaps a style of music that reminded me of Deftones in places. The Ambient rhythms are always engaging and constantly melodic with Bloodwood moving into slightly OTT Doomed Out parts especially with the vocals. The song remains a different style of Post Rock driven Doom/Stoner Rock with the gloomy theatrics perhaps standing out the most.
Fourth song is another instrumental song with Post-Rock and Ambient driven experimentation which allows Bloodwood drift into the Synth sounding ABYSS whilst still retaining a commanding presence.
Fifth song Sunset is where everything comes together and the EP fully makes more sense the most. As Bloodwood blends their different styles of music previously used throughout the EP for perhaps the standout track on the EP. This song sees Bloodwood play with mostly a bleak and despairing gloomy Desert Rock flavour with the song fastly moving into heavier areas of Doom, Stoner and Post-Rock textures with the heaviest riffs appearing on this track alone. The excellent vocals shine the most here with Bloodmoon finding the right creative balance to deliver their music with.
Bloodwood are a welcome addition to the Doom/Stoner Rock underground scene especially if you dig your grooves with a subtle Post-Rock attitude.
Words by Steve Howe
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