Release Date: July 10th 2026. Record Label: Fléau Records / Ace Of Wands Records. Formats: DD
Desolation - Tracklisting
1.Red Waves
2.Shadow Racer
3.Hindsight
4.Today Is Not The Day
Review
HEALER return with their second EP - Desolation - which once again features their stirring mix of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal. This time round there’s a more ferocious Hardcore Punk sound appearing compared to the band’s debut EP - Deconstruction. HEALER adapts the early Doom/Sludge melodies of TORCHE and forge this against the aggression of Mastodon and KYLESA. There’s some High On Fire fast-paced melodies appearing on the later stages of the record.
Desolation only lasts seventeen minutes across four tracks which allows HEALER to amplify their violent Doom-Pop sound to a more Progressive Metal audience. The vocals are clean and delivered superbly by dual vocalists Jibus and Hardno that offer Clean sounds and a tougher aggressive sound. The music is precise, focused and expertly melodic whilst moving into areas of Psychedelic textures which does lend itself to some Alt Rock, Grunge and Gloomy surroundings to fully develop on tracks Red Waves, Shadow Racer and Today Is Not The Day.
HEALER originates from France but they feel like they grew up within the Florida and Atlanta underground metal scenes as this record is highly influenced by those two amazing scenes. The lyrics are more inspired by the likes of KYLESA and BARONESS at the best of times which is no bad thing but HEALER do incorporate their own ideas into the mix for a highly emotional style of storytelling to appear within the hard hitting progressive Sludge Metal grooves fully take centre stage.
HEALER also use a lot of trippy sound effects, ambient themes and distorted vocals which all overlap into quite a gloomy and nightmarish experience at times mostly on the standout second track Shadow Racer. Though, all the tracks are great as each other. They all have their own merits with the shorter paced tracks being dominated by Hardcore Punk elements compared to the Sludge/Stoner Metal sounds of the longer based tracks.
Once again HEALER have turned to Jonathan Nuñez (TORCHE) to master this EP like he did with their debut EP and is perhaps one of the main reasons why HEALER sound like they come from the Florida underground Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. Though, HEALER excels creating music on their unflinching terms that left me wanting more. The EP is slightly short and I would have loved another track to push it over the twenty minutes mark.
Overall, Desolation is a superb record that doesn’t FUCK AROUND with HEALER delivering intense fast-paced grooves that should allow them to make a name for themselves within the Heavy Rock scenes. This is one EP you don’t want to miss. As it’s got some outstanding sounds that you will be playing all day long!!!
Words by Steve Howe
