Release Date: October 13th 2023. Record Label: Records Collecting Dust Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Seasick - Tracklisting
1.All Rise
2.String Em Up
3.The Befuddled Pig
4.Pink Misty Mountain Hop
5.Gone
6.Fuck The Sun
7.Seasick
8.Mayday
Members
Jason “Blackie” Blackmore - Guitar/Vocals
Jade Devitt - Drums
Cole Mears - Bass
Review
Seasick is the new album from Alt Rock/Post-Punk/Noise Rock/Sludge Rock power trio Matelotage who play aggressive 90’s based grooves that are reminiscent of bands such as HELMET, The Melvins and Quicksand. There’s a ferocious drive to Matelotage’s sound and this album is superbly catchy with a slight Indie Rock sound which aligns into the Noise Rock aspect of the band’s overall sound.
Seasick contains a warped Heavy Industrial feel which comes kicking and screaming on the album's opening tracks of All Rise, String Em Up and The Befuddled Pig. These songs are beautifully chaotic and perhaps all over the place however the music is wonderfully weird with outlandish lyrics that allow Jason’s vocals to offer a bleak vision of the world. There is also a sleek digitised element to the album that offers a more substantial slice of classic Post-Punk themes. The tone can be quite sludgy in places which remind me of NIN jamming with the mighty WHORES.
Fourth song Pink Misty Mountain Hop sees a more experimental style of Post-Hardcore and vast amounts of Sludgecore that offers some of the albums heaviest and most aggressive moments especially with the instrumental work becoming influenced by industrial acts such as NIN and Ministry with the Sludge Rock prowess of The Melvins when the stunning guitar solos appears.
Fifth song Gone continues with the Industrial/Noise/Sludge Rock hybrid sound with a thick STONER groove which feels fused with gloomy-pop moments with despairing vocals from Jason allowing Matelotage who would have been right at home within the 90’s Alt-Rock/Alt-Metal scene.
The later stages of the album sees a wicked Post-Punk outlook starting to appear with that bombastic Sludge/Noise Rock approach that still allows Matelotage to explore different musical avenues whilst not compromising their twisted creative vision even when the album becomes more riff-dominated on tracks such as Seasick and Mayday. These two tracks offer a more Progressive feel with both tracks running six minutes and eight minutes each. Matelotage offers a more cautious “Grunge” based sound before the mood becomes more world-weary especially with the subtle use of Psychedelic sounds.
Seasick covers a lot of creative ground within its short thirty two minute runtime but you can’t deny Matelotage's talent for creating heavy distorted grooves with a thrilling Noise Rock/Alt-Rock narrative that appears within the lyrics and kick-ass vocals that appears throughout the album.
Overall, Seasick is a truly captivating album with Matelotage creating their own highly destructive sound that offers intense grooves with ferocious melodies from start to finish.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Jason for the promo.
Seasick is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Records Collecting Dust Records.
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