Modder - Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun (Album Review)

Release Date: October 03rd 2025. Record Label: Consouling Sounds / Lay Bare Recordings . Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun - Tracklisting

1.Stone Eternal

2.Mather 

3.Type 27

4.Mutant Body Double

5.Chaoism

6.In The Sun

Members

Mathlovsky

Gregory Simons

Maurice van der Es

Simon Felix

Jamal Talibi

Review.

Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metallers MODDER destroyed my whole world with their epic 2023 album The Great Liberation Through Hearing which became my favourite instrumental album of that year. I’m pleased to say the band may have achieved that honour again with their brutally heavy and groove addicted masterpiece that is Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun. This album follows the same destructive path as that album but gives it more Grind, Industrial and Electronic based charges with impressive technical melodies being added for a different kind of sound as well.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun doesn’t follow a simple creative linear with MODDER deconstructing their own musical legacy that they’ve built with their last two albums and then reshaping into something wholly different with a more primal attitude delving into harsh SONIC outbursts of EXTREME metal at times.

This sound is already fully formed and primed to explode within the stunning opening track Stone Eternal where MODDER welcomes the listener into their superbly horrifying world with dark Sludge Metal melodies and harsh Industrial landscapes. The sudden emergence of Psych, Cosmic and Electronica beats just pushes the whole Grind/Thrash attitude of MODDER’s sound into something groundbreaking and original within its own right.

Second track Mather continues with that aggressive and melodic style of music that could easily have appeared on their previous album. The sudden Thrash/Grind/Groove Metal beats pushes the Doom/Sludge Metal narrative into the background at times but this is still absolutely thrilling to experience with MODDER embracing a nightmarish style of Industrial Metal before embracing their Psych/Doom/Sludge Metal heritage. The sound is more direct here with pounding instrumental passages feeling like you’re being hit over the head with Thor’s legendary hammer MJONHIR. 

The highly collective use of Ambient sounds and Electronic glitches makes a welcome return from the last MODDER record but with a haunting Post-Rock energy holding everything together before MODDER explodes into violent musical one upmanship against each other. There are times where you think each individual band member is battling each other for musical domination and creative supremacy but still having that sublime “WORKING TOGETHER” momentum fully fleshed out at the same time.

Third track Type 27 allows MODDER to enter a world of Mastodon based Post-Doom/Post-Sludge passages before “KICKING OFF” yet again with another foray into complex metal breakdowns with a thrilling Progressive Sludge Metal narrative forming. The sound is equally vibrant and brutally dark with MODDER performing one of the most technically accomplished sounds I’ve heard from them. The haunting Post-Rock melodies offer a brief sense of humanity and emotion to MODDER’s core but that’s soon wrapped away with a daring style of Progressive Stoner Metal rhythms that once again sees the band redefine their sound and we’re just only half way through the album.

The second half of the album is equally brutal, weird, hypnotic and brilliantly original as the first half with MODDER exploring their more Primal side on tracks Mutant Body Double and In The Sun. The music becomes a bit more experimental but MODDER never loses sight of what made them such a great band in the first place. However, it’s the most unexpected quieter moments that appear within the heavier parts of the album that make Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun such a soulful and beautiful record to listen to.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun is without doubt the best instrumental album of the year with MODDER showcasing highly original sounds of their very own making. MODDER are perhaps becoming my favourite Instrumental Metal band which is down to their unique musical perspective and breaking new ground in delivering new styles of extreme heaviness to the genre but still remaining completely TRUE to the absolute scene as well.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.

Destroying Ourselves For A Place In The Sun is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl from the links below:

Consouling Sounds

Lay Bare Recordings

 

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Modder - The Great Liberation Through Hearing (Album Review)

Release Date: November 17th 2023. Record Label: Consouling Sounds / Lay Bare Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Great Liberation Through Hearing - Tracklisting

Belly Ache

Gazing Into Domination

Doom Denker

Feral Summer

The Devil Is Digital

These Snakes

Members

Maurice van der Es - Bass

Gregory Simons - Drums

Mathlovsky - Guitars

Simon Felix - Electronics 

Jamal Talibi- Guitars

Review

Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metallers Modder released in my opinion the best Instrumental Sludge Metal album back in 2021 and I believe they’ve achieved that feat again with their epic new album The Great Liberation Through Hearing. Modder have recreated their sound from the ground up by aiming for a harsher, heavier and more penetrative sound that encompasses moments of Psych Metal, Grind, Thrash, Groove, Progressive Metal whilst maintaining their original Doom/Sludge Metal creative stance.

The record is bursting with highly intense melodic energy that even branches out into moments of Cosmic Metal with overflows of Post-Metal sounds throughout the entire album. This feels like a different band compared to their debut album which you’ll experience on the epic opening track of Belly Ache with Modder playing a more volatile blend of Sludge Metal with that newfound Grind based energy. The song never waivers with its delivery of harsh noises, psychedelic interludes and sludgy doomed out guitars. 

Modder takes a more SONIC based approach on the second track Gazing Into Domination which has moments of subtle Ambient Post-Rock energy which has a slight PELICAN or ISIS energy within the more mellow parts of the track. However, it’s the subtle interplay between Sludge Metal soundscapes and Doomgaze energy that allows Modder to breathe exciting new life into the Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metal theatre. HIghly atmospheric and beautifully melodic which does offer moments of aggressive down-tuned grooves that are quite thrilling to hear.

Third track Doom Denker is a track that could have easily come from their celebrated debut album but with a more captivating Ambient energy with the eerie soundbytes and trippy Psychedelic effects allowing Modder to orchestrate a gloomy story without the need for words or vocals. The mood is quite harsh and volatile which allows the band to play many different levels of Progressive Sludge moments with sludgy down-tuned guitars adding a more Thrash based perspective. The song does offer a lot of “stop-start” moments but it’s one of the standout moments of the track. 

The second half of the album is where the “Grind” element comes into focus with classic beats that remind me of Genghis Tron with freaky glitch-out sounds appearing on the stunning fourth track Feral Summer. The movement is very fast-paced and aggressive but there’s also a catchy breakdown sound with Modder once again playing a different style of Instrumental beats aligning themselves with the Progressive and Psychedelic attitude that Modder continues to develop and build upon.

The final two tracks of The Devil Is Digital and These Snakes continues with the sonic exploration with flashes of Psych, Grind and Spaced Out Doom all overflowing into each other but with a more nomadic and doomed out perspective. The tone is quite cold at times but the muscular instrumental jams allow everyone in Modder the perfect opportunity to showcase what great musicians they are. Perhaps the most outlandish and exciting parts of the album are heard right here. 

The Great Liberation Through Hearing is an outstanding record on all fronts and levels with sublime production values allowing Modder to become one of the most exciting voices within the Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metal scene. 

 Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Consouling Sounds for the promo.

The Great Liberation Through Hearing will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Consouling Sounds and Lay Bare Recordings from November 17th 2023.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Modder - S/T (Album Review)

Release Date: December 03rd 2021. Record Label: Consouling Sounds/Lay Bare Recordings. Format: DD/Vinyl

Modder - S/T - Tracklisting

Mount Frequency

War Rituals

Spasm

When Your Bones Weren’t Meant To Be

Members

Mathlovsky - Guitars

Gregory Simons - Drums

Maurice van der Es - Bass

Maxime Rouquart - Guitars

Simon Felix - Electronics

Review

Modder’s debut self-titled album features a very big AMPLIFIER on the cover against a distorted murky background and gives you a great indication on what to expect with this record. Influenced by the likes of SLEEP, CONAN and BONGRIPPER but with a more Industrial Metal groove that is injected into the seedy depths of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal that Modder offer here.

The album features four tracks and runs for a little over thirty minutes. Modder offer a bleak Progressive, Psychedelic and Daring style of music with a “BASS '' heavy approach and pounding drums moving along intelligently with the Industrial based Sludgy Guitars.

Opening song - Mount Pleasant - is a powerful mix of CONAN based CAVEMAN DOOM guitars but with a bit more Psychedelic Flair with the bleak heavy soundscapes coming in at different parts of the song. There’s a heavy distorted vibe that reminds myself of early era Kowloon Walled City. This album is purely instrumental and Modder do bring a nightmarish “BONGRIPPER” vibe when the gloomier parts of the song start to fully build up to loud volumes at their own distorted leisure. The haunting AMBIENT based soundscapes becomes the dominant force towards the end of the song before the heavy Sludge/Stoner Metal grooves fade away with impressive technical drumming being one of the main highlights of the song.

Second song  - Wax Rituals - continues with the slow-to-mid pace Industrial based atmosphere with Modder building different levels or layers of Distorted Sludge/Stoner Metal that may sound simplistic at first but there’s a lot of wonderful progression on this track. The song does go slightly Post-Metal with a dirtier PELICAN-esque riff-wizardry unsettling the Sludge/Stoner Metal foundations the song is actually built upon. The band brings a wicked and eerie “DOOM & GLOOM” sample or synth based sound that would fit perfectly with the dark cold winter months slowly approaching us. The song is very melodic but also quite aggressive for a more muscular style of Instrumental Sludge/Stoner Metal.

The final two songs of Spasm and When Your Bones Weren’t Meant To Be are the strongest and strangest parts of the album with Modder going slightly OTT and more creative for even more impressive slabs of gloomy Industrial based Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal madness. The Ambient Sounds gives Modder a more dynamic and powerful feel. 

The band aim big on this release and they’re influenced by the heavy hitters of the entire scenes their music fully represents. However, Modder have released a highly original album of their own and that’s down to their splendid use of Industrial Metal Grooves and the gloomy Psychedelic Synths. 

With first rate production values throughout, Modder are an exciting new voice they’ve just released not only one of the best albums of 2021 but perhaps the best Instrumental Sludge/Stoner Metal album of the year.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Lay Bare Recordings and Viral Propaganda for the promo.

Modder's self-titled album will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl from December 3rd 2021 from the links below.

Lay Bare Recordings

Consouling Sounds

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Lay Bare Recordings Announce MODDER Debut Album To Be Released in December 2021

On Discovery TV one of the biggest hits are shows on goldmining. Where people search through mud to find gold. They wash away the mud for their treasure. At Lay Bare Recordings we're always on the lookout for new music treasure. This time we laid bare Modder. We didn’t wash away the mud for treasure but the mud itself is the treasure. 

Modder ( or Mud in English ) is an industrial sludge metal band from the streets of Ghent. These sludgers will release their debut album on Lay Bare Recordings, in cooperation with Consouling Sounds, on 12” coloured vinyl.

LBR035 / 250 pieces on Gold with Black Splatter.

Pre-order open, release date December 13th: Order MODDER

Modder is all about riffs. Riffs designed to make you shake your neck, supported by thundering basslines and grooving drums. Surrounded by industrialist samples and synths to forge an unique sound in the sludge landscape.

Modder started out as a passion project between guitarist, songwriter & producer Mathieu Mathlovsky and his long-time companion Gregory Simons on drums. After recording and releasing their massive first single ‘Mudslinger’ (November 2020) on bandcamp (Mudslinger | Modder (bandcamp.com) 

Bass player Maurice van der Es joined the duo to expand the sonic mayhem. The self-titled album, which was recorded even before ‘Mudslinger’ in spring of 2020, gained its extra low end as a result. Recruiting Maxime Rouquart from Greg’s band, Modder found their second guitarist for that extra layer of distortion.

Simon Felix was approached to perform the programmed bass synths & industrial samples live and the band was fully formed, directly heading into the rehearsal space to become the tight outfit they have quickly become. 

Lay Bare Recordings gave the band a home to release the ‘Modder’ 12” on after some back and forth talks, feeling familiar with each other, the plans to go forward were quickly formed. After performing their first live show, in the dungeons of a Belgian Castle, Consouling Sounds was impressed enough to offer their support to do a co-release between the legendary labels.

You can watch the video for the new song Mount Frequency which Rob Hammer's always awesome YouTube Doom Metal Channel hosted recently

Links

Facebook | BandCamp