Release Date: October 23rd 2026. Record Label: The Lasting Dose Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Salutations To The Cultivators - Tracklist
1.Bug
2.Third Eye
3.Harvester
4.Herbal Saints
Members
Selly
Claas
Tommy
Review
Salutations To The Cultivators is the fourth album from Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Earthbong which sees the band aim for a heavier and broader style of psychedelic heaviness being included within their music. The record still has similar themes, ideas and contents heard from their previous albums but this time Earthbong aims for an intense COSMIC DOOM methodology.
Earthbong focuses more on their songwriting skills for this album which gives their music a more dynamic cinematic aspect throughout. Their classic style of LOW & SLOW and DOWN TUNED aggression is there for the most part which you can hear within the magnificent opening track of Bug before Earthbong start experimenting with Space Rock structures that remind of YON within the later stages of the record.
The album was named after a line from the classic song GIZA BUTLER by the legendary SLEEP which have heavily influenced the band in the past. This time round you can hear influences by the likes of YOB and CONAN especially when the harsh vocals fully hit home and when the music becomes dominated by long drawn out instrumental grooves. The level of amplifier distortion powers the first half of the album through BUG and THIRD EYE. This is EARTHBONG recreating their sound for an aggressive style of Post-Doom and Stoner Metal that also combines world building WEEDIAN mysticism into their music.
The use of the classic Roy Batty speech from BLADE RUNNER within THIRD EYE adds a highly measured and grounded approach despite the violent harsh growls offering a different delivery. You start to experience subtle hints of Psychedelic and Cosmic soundscapes to emerge that become an integral part of the album when the final two tracks of Harvester and Herbal Saints appear.
There is a bleak and desolate imagery that allows Earthbong to play music that’s closer to the likes of BONGRIPPER and YOB like ever before. Though, this is still EARTHBONG’s show with a sublime down-tuned performance lurking from every dark corner that the band applies to this record.
Salutations To The Cultivators does feel it’s being performed by two different bands at times especially when the Psychedelic movements appear. As the record can be quite euphoric and uplifting before EARTHBONG return to their more well known and violent Sludge Metal persona.
This allows the record to be quite original within its own right and once again help Earthbong establish as one of best bands to emerge from the underground scene. Salutations To The Cultivators is their best album to date that’s bound to propel the band to greater heights and perhaps forge an exciting new creative path in the years to come.
Outstanding. Plain and Simple.
Words by Steve Howe
Salutations To The Cultivators is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via The Lasting Dose Records
