Release Date: May 17th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Andromedas Colossus: Tracklisting
1. Obliteration Imminent - 5:12
2. Colony - 7:00
3. Solaruss - 5:30
4. Pulse Driver - 3:47
5. Mining The Colossus - 8:06
6. Signal Transmissions - 2:45
7. Motherlode - 8:32
8. Awakened - 3:17
9. Unearthing the Artifact - 7:43
10. Return to Andromeda - 7:57
Band Members
Guitarist/Vocalist - Brett Lee
Drummer - Seth Lynn
Bassist - Jared Edge
Review
Adromodes Colossus sees Ape Vermin return in a big way from their acclaimed 2021 EP release Arctic Noise and six years since their debut album. This time round Ape Vermin aim solely for the Progressive Sludge Metal sound with major Cosmic Overflows with the band blending harsh vocals and fantastical storytelling which perhaps uses Mastodon and High On Fire are creative influences here and there. With an expanding backline of sublime drumming and ferocious drumming from Seth Lynn on Drums and Jared Edge on Bass.
The opening two tracks of Obliteration Imminent and Colony has that Mastodon (Crack The Skye) heaviness with the distorted and Doom heaviness of CONAN and BEASTWARS but still being purely original with Ape Vermin’s primal and psychedelic grooves having a more muscular tone. Both tracks show different sides to Ape Vermin with a mixture of harsh and clean vocals working in perfect unison with the sludgy instrumental parts that can be quite Progressive with a deft raw-sounding Stoner Metal sound that has echoes of CROWBAR running AMOK within the excellent second track Colony.
Ape Vermin do employ a more thrash laden supply of never ending aggressive melodies and non-stop Psychedelic beats which does offer something different compared to their previous releases and allows the band to employ that classic style of Progressive Sludge Metal that seen most bands of their day align themselves to Relapse Records back in the day.
I mean that as a huge compliment as Ape Vermin at least weave Psychedelic and Cosmic patterns into their music which can be a more hard-hitting style of Cosmic Doom that make the next three tracks of Solaruss, Pulse Drive and Mining Colossus being some of the most mind expanding, heaviest and catchiest parts of the album. There’s still a sense of bleak nihilism and darkness hidden within the bands lyrics and overall storytelling aspect of the album which becomes quite outlandish and Thrash Metal based on this part of the album.
Screeching guitars have a slow down and stripped back sound that reminds me of Motorhead but without the Speed Metal aspect but the whole tone is there. Ape Vermin decided to switch things around within the experimental sixth track Signal Transmissions which is a long drawn out Drone based Doom/Sludge Metal offering with a hellish and nightmarish induced sound that becomes more unsettling when the song reaches its natural conclusion.
The next part of the album sees Ape Vermin return to a world of Progressive Sludge, Thrash Metal, Groove Metal and Psychedelic Metal that all collide for a collection of tracks that move across the multiple areas of distorted gloomy pastures and melodic instrumental grooves. The vocals from Brett Lee are impressive throughout and he employs a variety of different styles that feels like Ape Vermin have multiple vocalists on the whole album.
Out of the final batch of tracks - Motherlode, Unearthing The Artifact and Returning To Andromeda is where Ape Vermin really coming into their own creative vision with complex musical structures and progressive melodies woven in with a first rate narrative which leads to mighty impressive results for the band to become more known for within the scene.
Andromedas Colossus is an intense and bleak Progressive journey into the darker depths of Doom, Sludge and Thrash Metal which has an a wholly original Cosmic sound which should hopefully allow Ape Vermin to build up a fearsome and bigger reputation within the underground Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene.
Ape Vermin have delivered a bone-crunching album that pulls no punches with it’s fearless attitude and exploration into SONIC and PSYCHEDELIC manipulation of the highest order.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Asher Media PR for the promo.
Andromedas Colossus will be available to buy on Digital Download from Friday 17th May 2024.
Links
Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram
