Release Date: 26th January 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
I - Tracklisting
1.Same Team 04:20
2.Trash That Takes Itself Out 05:19
3.Raw Nerve 03:11
4.You Could've Been Something (But Instead You Are You) 04:20
5.The Only Way Is Through 01:15
6.Forever Leaving 05:31
7.I Can Manage 05:14
8.GTO 02:58
9.Days Of Sin 05:29
10.The Witches Told Me 03:34
11.The Pattern 04:26
Members
Massiel Pinzón Méndez
Juan Carlos
Review
Alphawhores is a Brother/Sister duo from Panama who focus playing an Alternative style of Sludge/Stoner Metal with a ferocious LOW & SLOW sound that splits off into moments of Melodic Pop Melodies and catchy vocals from both members. Their debut album ‘I’ has a wicked gloomy soulful attitude which feels empowered by the Commercial Pop scene but AlphaWhores deliver this wicked creative style with a sludgy and fuzzed up attitude which draws upon bands such as The Melvins, TORCHE and KYLESA.
You can hear elements of classic 90’s Grunge appearing with bands such as Nirvana, L7 and Alice In Chains within the first few tracks of Seam Team, Trash That Takes Itself Take Out and Raw Nerve. AlphaWhores members Massiel Pinzón Méndez and Juan Carlos both share vocal duties and they both provide fantastic performances with some warm melodic moments despite the down-tuned sludgy and fuzzed up grooves that appear within the music.
With that Alt-Metal sound allowing AlphaWhores to bridge the gap between the albums quiet and laid back moments,’I’ is always a captivating and engaging listen that allows the band to deliver some deliriously entertaining and downright original sounds of their own making.
The album does have stripped back production values with AlphaWhores overall sound have an epic raw and organic sound which comes across superbly well from start to finish and perhaps mostly within the longest tracks on the album with You Could’ve Been Something (But Instead You Are You), Forever Leaving and I Can Manage. These tracks manage to convey a classic 1980’s Mobie Soundtrack attitude whilst still retaining that harsh Sludge/Stoner Metal identity of their music. The lyrics are super fun and even highly energetic but AlphaWhores employs a dark creative mood and atmosphere when the time calls for this.
AlphaWhores do add moments of distorted noise and trippy Psychedelic beats which keeps the listener on their toes. The final batch of songs Days Of Sin, The Witches Told Me and The Pattern sees the band venture into more GLOOM and DOOM pastures which offers some of the heaviest, freshest and interesting sounds on the album.
‘I’ is different style of Sludge/Stoner Metal album that fully embraces the “DOOM-POP” energy that bands such as TORCHE and FLOOR are known for. This allows AlphaWhores to release a stunning debut release that’s beautifully violent and heavy one moment and the next is pure bittersweet melodic bliss the next whilst retaining that killer Sludge/Stoner Metal sound that leaves you wanting to hear more.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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