Release Date: 01st March 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD
Extinct - Tracklisting
1.The Oracle 07:55
2.The Defilement 07:06
3.The Ruined 11:22
4.The Hunter 07:27
5.The Bloodshed 05:34
6.The Cave 06:55
Members
Matthew Crotts – Guitars, Vocals
Matthew Pickard – Bass
Matt Osburn – Drums
Review
Extinct is the new album from Doom/Sludge Metallers We Follow The Earth and this has a more sombre, bleak and aggressive tone compared to their 2023 debut Lightbearer. Extinct does follow a similar path to that album but We Follow The Earth plays music that’s driven by a harsher solitary tone with a distorted sound fuelled by a Post-Metal attitude which fits superbly well into the overall narrative of the story.
Extinct “is a crushingly heavy fantasy piece from start to finish, which tells the story of a Cyclops chieftain discovering that his entire tribe has been murdered and vowing revenge”.
Drawing upon bands such as CONAN, Slomatics, High On Fire and Neurosis, it’s great to see We Follow The Earth delivering their own blend of Doom/Sludge Metal carnage with across some epic tracks which can be downright ferocious and nasty in places especially on the excellent three opening tracks - The Oracle, The Defilement and The Ruined.
Once We Follow The Earth setup the creative structures of their music within The Oracle, things become more Psychedelic and even WEEDIAN inspired which gives way to strands of outstanding moments of instrumental trippy jams whilst keeping that down-tuned violent energy. This allows We Follow The Earth to become major disciples of the LOW & SLOW and AMPLIFIER DISTORTION approach on how to deliver their music. Matthew Crott’s vocals are full of angular power and energy which reminds me of Jon Paul Davis (CONAN) at times especially when he delivers a powerful narrative within the lyrics written for the album perhaps more on tracks such as The Defilement and The Ruined.
The second half of the album becomes more riff obsessed which is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the album whilst keeping with the first half’s volatile and violent sound with flashes of that modern day Post-Metal attitude. The story becomes more interesting when it reaches its violent and action packed conclusion with the final two tracks of The Bloodshed and The Cave.
We Follow The Earth does a wonderful job of bringing a cinematic atmosphere to the whole album where the sullen sounds are fully justified with those raw sounding grooves having a sense of tre purpose where the mood can be downright brutal and unforgiving in places. The album lasts forty five minutes in length but ultimately feels longer which is a good thing. This shows there’s a lot more waiting to be discovered with Extinct with multiple and repeated listens.
Extinct is an epic album from start to finish and is one that will surely elevate We Follow The Earth to greater heights within the Doom/Sludge Metal scene. Outstanding. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Desert Bloom PR for the promo.
Links
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