Monday 24 June 2024

Erronaut - The Space Inbetween (Album Review)

Release Date: July 18th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

The Space Inbetween: Tracklisting

5.68º N 98.54º E
Way Down Below
Lost Cause
Per Contra
Echoes Inside
1202
Underneath The Sun
Dark Horizon
Beyond Sleep I: The Insomnia
Beyond Sleep II: The Subconscious Decompression

Members


Simon Wilson

Peter Hunt

Sam Gates

Mikey Ward


Review


Grunge/Psych/Stoner Rockers Erronaut debut album The Space Inbetween is a record rooted within the sounds of the 90’s Grunge/Stoner Rock and having a subversive 70’s Prog Rock delivery. Add the sludgy modern day grooves and Erronaut have quite an aggressive and eye-catching style of Doom/Stoner Metal which sees the band influenced by the likes of KYUSS, QOTSA, Soundgarden, Lowrider, Black Sabbath and FU MANCHU. 


Erronaut were known as BLACK ATLAS who released a fantastic debut album called Weight Of The World back in 2018. The two bands are similar but with Erronaut being heavier and perhaps offering wildly inventive ideas that have a more cinematic creative approach on this album alone.


The Space Inbetween opens a highly volatile style of Fuzz Rock and Grunge which builds upto heavier areas of the COSMIC DOOMED out template of Stoner Metal on the sublime opening track 5.68º N 98.54º E. There is a deep style of tone, melody and progression which allows Erronaut to appear more aligned to the creative stylings of King Buffalo and ELDER in places but with that seedy Grunge appetite allowing them to become more rebellious on the heavier parts of the record.


The next two tracks Way Down Below and Lost Cause sees Erronaut to explore that down-tuned and amplifier distorted environment with a powerful and menacing bass line which moves the band firmly over to the DOOM METAL side of life. The sludgy guitars and melodic vocals combine for a catchy and aggressive movement which can be bittersweet at times. However, the killer BASS LINE allows Erronaut to play with a more METALLIC intent which manifests into some epic GUITAR SOLOS and GUITAR SHREDDING towards the end of the track.


Fourth track Per Contra is full of despairing Space Rock sounds with the Sludge/Stoner Rock based guitars venturing into heavier areas of FUZZED UP ATMOSPHERICS which should impress the LOW & SLOW crowd. The melodic vocals are overlapped with harsh growls that shows Erronaut aren’t afraid to transform their musical surroundings into even more gloomier territory. However, there’s some epic sounding SPACE ROCK and COSMIC DOOM based soaring instrumental solos which gets an added boost of distorted ambient themes that provides the heaviest moments on the entire record.


Fifth track Echoes Inside is a sullen instrumental number that’s full of Ambient Post Rock sounds set against an ice cold solitary guitar which sets up the tone for the next part of the album.


The second half of the album sees a dominant Post-Doom and Psych Stoner Metal sound dictate the action and allowing the Grungier aspects merge with a thrilling Atmospheric Sludge sound which becomes the main driving force for Erronaut to explore into heavier areas of music with especially on tracks such as: 1202, Underneath The Sun, Dark Horizon and Beyond Sleep I: The Insomnia.


The Space Inbetween is an EPIC sounding album with intense production values that allows Erronaut to become wonderfully adventurous with their music throughout. The album is helped along by insightful and highly original lyrics that can have a timeless quality to them especially when The Space Inbetween ventures into the further depths of the Stoner Rock/Metal COSMOS.


The Space Inbetween is an absolute joy to listen to and one that will no doubt allow the band to make a huge impression within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene with its SOARING ANTHEMIC RIFFS and wonderful cinematic style of first rate storytelling.


Words by Steve Howe


Thanks to Erronaut for the promo.

The Space Inbetween will be available to buy on Digital Download from Friday 18th July 2024.

Links


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