Release Date: July 04th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Whispers Of The Void: Tracklisting
1.I. Ascending Dunes 06:51
2.II. Whispers of the Void 08:11
3.III. The Descent 05:38
Review
Doom/Fuzz/Stoner Metallers Stormriders return swiftly and quite methodically with their even better new EP Whispers Of The Void. The EP continues the creative and heavy DESERT METAL sound from their debut release with a flash of THIN LIZZY and MASTODON dueling guitars throughout the release. The sound this time round is more Progressive based with Stormriders aligning themselves quite convincingly to the “NEW YORK” way of Stoner Metal with different layers and textures of Sludgy solid foundations especially within the excellent opening track -
I. Ascending Dunes.
Stormriders have moments of Post-Doom or Post-Stoner grooves within their music which appear on the later stages of I. Ascending Dunes which aims for solitary conclusion before the closing moments.
Second song II. Whispers Of The Void have vocals appearing for the first time from the band and it’s a welcome addition which moves between subtle Sludge/Stoner Metal aggression with a slight classic HEAVY METAL and NOLA based vibe. The music once again is dominated by powerful strands of Doom/Stoner Metal with a Psychedelic Sludge groove that allows Stormriders experiment with powerful Desert Rock sounds that can be quite tribal and atmospheric at times. The music becomes way aggressively heavy and quite distorted but all in the best possible way which allows Stormriders to play the heaviest, frenzied,, loudest and aggressive moments of the whole EP. Fans of Old School Hard Rock and Heavy Metal will no doubt love the later parts of this track alone.
Third song The Descent is a more gloomier and doomed out take from Stormriders with distorted and low-key guitars and the kick-ass rhythm section delivering a murky excursion into SABBATHIAN based Doom Metal with a slow-paced sludgy environment. The song is quite abstract and cold-hearted compared to the other two tracks but it shows another cool side to Stormriders.
Whispers Of The Void is an absolutely intense release with sublime production values which allows it to be another excellent EP from Stormriders who are quickly beginning to gain some great attention within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal community and on this evidence it’s not hard to see why.
Stormriders are onto something here and I can see them becoming one of the essential upcoming acts to look out for in the foreseeable future.
Words by Steve Howe
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