Release Date: October 13th 2023. Record Label: Swamp Records. Formats: CD/DD
SLOTH - SLOTH - Tracklisting
1.Lucifer's Doorway 01:06
2.Evil Hand 06:25
3.Warlock's Eye 06:56
4.Devil's Gate 09:05
5.Interlude 00:57
6.Beyond 08:31
7.Slow Burn 09:07
Members
Ariel Pang - Guitar / Vocals / Psychic Spells
Justin Wan - Guitar / Crypt Keeper
The High Priest of the Oak - Bass Guitar / Resonance
Andrew Ahn - Drums / Percussion / Space & Time
Review
Psych Doom/Stoner Metallers SLOTH new self-titled album is one of the more interesting OCCULT based releases I’ve heard this year. As the band merges Psychedelic Fuzz Rock soundscapes with the trademark themes of the Doom Metal scene. Sometimes the band are dominantly a Vintage sounding Proto-Doom band and the other they’re a KICK-ASS Stoner Metal band merging Psychedelic vibes with an over-reliance on sonic trickery which works wonders for their overall sound.
With the band drawing influences from bands such as Electric Wizard, Uncle Acid, Windhand and Saint Vitus into the mix. The addition of LOW & SLOW and slightly down tuned aggressive grooves allows SLOTH to add a sludgy attitude to the mix which is heard quite confidently within the excellent opening few tracks of the album with Lucifer’s Doorway, Evil Hand and Warlock’s Eye setting up the scene. The grooves are catchy, vibrant, loud and brilliantly melodic especially with the more Psychedelic guitar solos that appear throughout this part of the album.
Ariel’s vocals have a demented and demonic flow to them which feel inspired by Uncle Acid’s Kevin Starrs but with a more grizzled edge. There’s quite a surreal Progressive vibe that relies mostly on 1970’s Proto-Doom exposition with the music having a solid muscular tone. The FUZZ Rock attitude injects a seedy and creepy atmosphere for the later stages of the album which even sees SLOTH go into SONIC and PSYCHEDELIC overload with screeching guitars and extended use of guitar reverb and amplifier feedback.
The more lengthy tracks of Devil’s Gate, Beyond and Slow Burn are perhaps the standout moments of the album with SLOTH having more time to experiment with their music and offering the heaviest and filthiest ACID laced grooves on the album. Imagine UFOMAMMUT, Church Of Misery and Electric Wizard having one big massive jam session and that's the heavy feeling that SLOTH portray on these tracks alone with Devil's Gate being one of the main creative highlights on the album.
The production values are excellent as well that allows SLOTH to sound quite daring and original in places. SLOTH self-titled album is a wickedly entertaining record that offers brilliantly deranged FUZZED UP Doom/Stoner Metal sounds of the highest order.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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