Release Date: March 21st 2025. Record Label: Doomshire Tapes. Formats: Cassette/DD
Necromagicka - Tracklisting
Mark Of The Occult
Necromagicka
Devil’s Gate (Live)
Slow Burn (Live)
Members
Ariel Pang - Guitar/ Vocals/ Psychic Spells
Justin Wan - Bass Guitar/ Fuzz
Andrew Ahn - Drums/ Space & Time
Review
Californian Proto/Doom/Stoner Metallers SLOTH return for another dark expedition into the Occult with their sludgy, seedy and fuzzed up aggressive slant of underground music which they created absolutely brilliantly on their acclaimed 2023 debut full length album. Their new EP Necromagicka features two new tracks and live versions of the two standout tracks from their debut release.
SLOTH opens the EP with Mark Of The Occult which is a creepy cinematic intro on what to expect. The delicious and dark instrumental sounds are paired against what feels like a classic horror movie intro before SLOTH start adding elements of ELECTRIC WIZARD paranoia into the mix. The song only lasts for a minute but sets the scene superbly well.
The other new track Necromagicka is a work of pure down-tuned and filthy brilliance wrapped up within a classic Occult Doom style of music with SLOTH projecting a seedy underbelly of long drawn out grooves, melodies and twisted vocals adding to the whole unsettling tone. This is the type of track that should have been released near Halloween and not near Easter which is perhaps not lost on SLOTH themselves. The music is amplified by a sinister FUZZ-LADEN atmosphere with epic amounts of 1970’s Occult imagery creeping out from the instrumental sounds that will appeal to fans of MONOLORD, SLOMATICS and MONOLORD. As SLOTH venture into the domain of Cosmic Doom for this track alone which makes this standout track of the entire EP.
The final two tracks of Devil’s Gate and Slow Burn as I mentioned earlier are from their debut album but with this time SLOTH play these two epic slabs of PURE DOOM and DISTORTED HEAVINESS fully LIVE. This gives the tracks a new lease of life compared to the original versions. Everything sounds heavier and slightly more demented especially with the Psychedelic angle that SLOTH have given a slight makeover in places. Devil’s Gate is perhaps my favourite LIVE track here as it oozes personality with SLOTH on dynamite form on this track alone.
Necromagicka is another MASSIVE sound release from SLOTH who are fast becoming one of my favourite Doom/Stoner Metal bands from the underground scene. They have a knack at getting down in creating unsettling soundscapes with a demented APOCALYPTIC feel which sees SLOTH deliver the goods with DEVILISH GLEE.
Brilliant. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to SLOTH for the promo.
Necromagicka will be available to buy digitally from all good stockists and on Cassette Tape via Doomshire Tapes from Friday 21st March 2025
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