Release Date: May 17th 2024. Record Label: PolderRecords. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Pull & Repulsion: Tracklisting
1.Dust and Venom 06:48
2.Face the North 07:06
3.Age of Obsidian 06:47
4.To Control the Sky 07:36
5.Verticality 08:11
6.Abort 04:44
Band Members
Jeska Buhmann – Vocals & Guitar
Mark de Smit – Guitar
Juriën Quaars – Guitar
Koen van Soelen – Bass & Vocals
Rob Dekker – Drums
Review
MOULD is a Sludge/Doom Metal band from The Netherlands who play a delightfully hip, down-tuned and droned out style of Sludge with gloomy atmospherics that can be quite Grunge obsessed in places. The band are influenced by the likes of YOB, Pallbearer, Neurosis and Windhand with the lyrics having quite an emotional depth to them. MOULD adds levels of Psychedelic and Sonic based melodies within the heavier Sludgy grooves.
The vocals are expertly handled by Jeska and Koen who also play Guitar and Bass respectively. They’re clean based and work superbly well together bringing a first rate LIGHT vs DARK aspect to the whole creative narrative of the album. The majority of the tracks run between seven to eight minutes in length with MOULD showing a charismatic style of Prog Metal and Post-Rock interludes which the band put to great use on the superb opening tracks: Dust And Venom and Face The North.
There’s an ice-cold nature to the early parts of the album but MOULD soon employ a more robust and uplifting style of SONIC based Doom Metal within the closing stages of Dust And Venom. Second track Face The North has that classic Post-Metal sound that Neurosis perfected anf opened the floodgates for countless other bands to become aligned with. MOULD delve into that area of music with the majority of the album as the pummelling rhythm section and heavy guitars conspire to build an avalanche of subtle Post-Metal textures and Psychedelic Sludge movements with Jeska’s vocals being quite dominant and commanding at the same time.
The first two opening tracks allow MOULD to lay down the foundations and rules for the record to move into heavier Psychedelic waters with the LOUDEST and AGGRESSIVE moments yet to come especially on the outstanding tracks of Age Of Obsidian, To Control The Sky and Vertically. Koen’s vocals sets off the album into a more despairing DOOMED and DISTORTED direction with the music taking a similar lead. However, MOULD always find a way to bring an upbeat energy to their music even if it acts as the perfect soundtrack to the end of the world.
My favourite part of the album is where MOULD strip back the heavy sound and replace it with a more cool sounding Ambient Post-Rock or Post-Doom element which gives the record a certain reflective mood. The instrumental melodies allows Jeska’s vocals to become more warm natured but the heavy Sludge Metal aesthetic isn’t too far behind with MOULD devouring everything in their sight.
Pull & Repulsion is a stunning album that allows MOULD to surprise you with the different directions the album ultimately takes you upon and leaves you wanting to hear more from this sublime band. This is an emotionally charged album built upon wonderful ideas and intense grooves that allow this record to become an unmissable experience.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to PolderRecords for the promo.
Pull & Repulsion is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via PolderRecords.
Links
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