Release Date: May 20th 2024. Record Label: Cursed Monk Records. Formats: Cassette/CD/DD/Vinyl
As Within: Tracklisting
1.Myrrh 09:39
2.Immersed 08:51
3.The Shifting Sands 04:24
4.Scorched Earth 09:03
5.As Within 10:14
Band Members
Ciarán Coghlan – guitar/vocals
Ollie Cunningham – drums
Tomás O’Brien – bass
Jack O’Neill – lead guitar/vocals
Review
As Within is the new album from Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Coroza who are back after a five year absence since their celebrated debut release. This time round the band offer a more despairing style of Doom/Sludge Metal with a huge Progressive slant that easily matches the brutal leanings of bands such as GOJIRA, Mastodon, Cult Of Luna and THOU.
The neverending style of Thrash beats and violent Groove metal guitars are the main order of creative business for Coroza but they still apply deft touches of Post-Rock and Psychedelic Doom that can be quite melodic and hopefully peaceful at times. This style of music appears briefly on the downright nasty opening track Myrrh.
With a fearless style of Post-Metal appearing throughout the album though Coroza still develop the original sound they played on their debut album but this is with a more vibrant and Progressive energy with a brooding Sludge Metal and almost Post-Blackened Stoner Metal attitude appearing on tracks such as Immersed and The Shifting Sands.
Echoes of classic guitar shredding soon sees Coroza employ a neverending style of wicked guitar solos that travels the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal underground with sometimes a downright nasty approach especially on Immersed and Scorched Earth which feels like the twisted off-spring of GOJIRA, PANTERA and MASTODON all vying for musical supremacy. Though, it’s the sullen Psychedelic and Post-Rock passages that gives As Within such an immense and quality sounding experience which allows Coroza to create a highly original blend of music they can call their own.
The final track As Within has a real “storytelling” quality to the track with Coroza once again changing the standard Doom/Sludge Metal sound with a more adventurous Post-Metal attitude. The song can be beautifully soulful and peaceful one moment before changing into a bombastic style of Sludge Metal that takes no prisoners with Coroza unleashing distorted guitars and progressive rhythms that becomes the standout track of the whole album.
As Within has a wonderfully rich, diverse and epic sound which isn’t surprising since the album has been mastered by Magnus Lindberg from the legendary CULT OF LUNA with the hugely talented Aidan Cunningham on recording and mixing duties. Add the always impressive famed record label Cursed Monk Records to the party who are releasing this intense and superbly entertaining album then you have the makings of a sure-fire winner.
Coroza has the right ingredients to make a huge impact within the Doom/Sludge Metal scene and I’m expecting to see the band become more well known thanks to this great album alone.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Cursed Monk Records for the promo.
As Within is available to buy now on CD/Cassette/DD/Vinyl via Cursed Monk Records.
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