Wasteland Sludgers SARAKSH Unleash Relentless Second Single "Confinement: Bottom Deep"!

Following the intense first glimpse offered by "Forlorn", German Wasteland Sludgers SARAKSH have unleashed "Confinement: Bottom Deep", the second single from their upcoming full-length album "Abiram" (out November 20, 2026). Diving even deeper into the record's dark and narrative universe, the new track reinforces the band's signature blend of nerve-crushing riffs and atmospheric depth.

- Listen to "Confinement: Bottom Deep" HERE -

Founded in 2018 by guitarist/vocalist Severin Mäker, the dystopian/sci-fi-influenced project SARAKSH counts three releases so far, with 'Moloch: refactored' (2023) marking a plunge into a more conceptual approach to the themes of SARAKSH. Contrasting its brutalist title track with three concentrated tracks 'Drive', 'R.T.W.Y.A.' and 'Eden in Waste', the quartet delivers by navigating between groove-oozing and nerve-crushing riffs, whilst chaotic outbursts are eerily surrounded by psychotic, then liberating chants, just to be completely resolved in proliferated guitar layers and atmospheric, synth-driven passages.

Being influenced by the likes of Converge, Ulcerate, Totem Skin and Omega Massif, the band keeps their organic, yet tight playing style very closely tied to the aspect of musical storytelling. Thus, the upcoming album "Abiram" picks up right where the grand finale of the title track from the band’s last release left off, in which the wanderer leaves 'Moloch' full of despair and hopelessness.

Tracklist:

01. Scavenger
02. Confinement: Carving Me
03. Confinement: Circles
04. Confinement: Bottom Deep
05. They Come At Night
06. Forlorn
07. Mire
08. Designation

"Abiram" arrives on November 20, self-released by SARAKSH.

SARAKSH are:

Severin Mäker - Guitar, Keys, Programming, Vocals, Production (Editing, Mixing, Mastering)
Christian Busch - Guitar
Max Hönig - Drums

For more info visit:

https://linktr.ee/saraksh
https://www.instagram.com/saraksh_band/
https://www.facebook.com/SarakshBand
https://saraksh.bandcamp.com

Thanks to All Noir PR for the details.

Godzilla In The Kitchen - Termination Sequence (Album Review)

Release Date: October 23rd 2026. Record Label: Tonzonen Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Termination Sequence - Tracklist

1.Nothing For None 04:15

2.Humility 04:54

3.Birdsong 04:59

4.Empty Cribs 05:45

5.Everyday People 05:26

6.No Sign Of Life 03:57.

7.Wonder 06:04

8.Termination Sequence 06:12

Members

Simon Ulm (vocals, bass)

Eric Patzschke (guitar)

Thiago Presto (drums)

Review

Termination Sequence is the latest album from Godzilla In The Kitchen where the band have transformed from an Instrumental Post-Rock/Stoner Rock outfit into a fully fledged destructive Post-Metal unit. This is the band’s most complex, daring and aggressive work to date but there are still moments of Post-Rock and Stoner Rock melodies that appear from time-to-time. Godzilla In The Kitchen even experimented with areas of Post-Punk, Prog Metal, Sludge Rock and Electronic themes for a record that always manages to be quite forward thinking and slightly unconventional throughout.

You can feel influences from the likes of Neurosis, ISIS, TOOL and PELICAN within the heavier moments with the band applying an epic QUIET vs LOUD dynamic for the majority of the tracks. Though, it’s always good to hear Godzilla In The Kitchen touching upon sounds they delivered in their previous albums for Termination Sequence more quieter aspects. 

Another thing that has changed is the band have added vocals for the first time with Simon Ulm taking on the mantle of lead vocalist and it’s a role he absolutely relishes with a commanding performance. There’s a certain Alternative Metal and Post-Metal delivery to Simon’s vocals that allow him to include a sullen Eighties Pop/Rock attitude along the way. 

However, this album is mostly about bringing some troublesome modern day socially aware problems into the mix with Godzilla In The Kitchen never offering any answers either. That’s left upto the listener to fully decide what’s being said and that’s one of the great strengths for this album. As it treats the listener with respect and intelligence to allow them to make up their own mind about what's truly going on in the world.

Sometimes the songs don’t flow naturally as they should the first time you listen to this especially on tracks Nothing For None, Humility and Bird Song which opens up the whole album. However, after a few listens you begin to fully understand everything a bit more within the complex melodies that the band have applied here. The music shifts constantly from different musical tones and intense progressive melodies where the band feel perhaps too closely inspired by the likes of TOOL and DEFTONES.

However, Godzilla In The Kitchen deserves credit for trying something different for their third album which for the most part is an exciting and action packed record that is beautifully dark and expertly aggressive in the best possible moments. The sudden transformation into different musical genres will leave you on the edge of your seat on tracks such as Birdsong, Empty Cribs, Wonder and Termination Sequence. 

Termination Sequence is superbly produced with Godzilla In The Kitchen undergoing a major musical transformation which should serve the band well in the long term. It may take their established fanbase sometime to fully appreciate their heavier sound and musical direction but it’s a risk that’s worth taking as Godzilla in The Kitchen have become a better band because of this superbly bleak album.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Godzilla In The Kitchen, Sheltered LIfe PR and Broken Music for the promo.

Termination Sequence is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Tonzonen Records.

Links

https://www.godzillainthekitchen.de
https://linktr.ee/godzillainthekitchen

Boss Keloid - Float & Aperture (Album Review)

Release Date: October 23rd 2026. Record Label: Church Road Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Float & Aperture - Tracklist

1 - Breeze

2 - Pedestal

3 - Landslide

4 - Weight

5 - Aros

6 - Accord

7 - Sanguine

Members

Ste Arands - Drums and Percussion

Paul Swarbrick - Guitars

Alex Hurst - Vocals and Guitars

Liam Pendlebury-Green - Bass

Review

Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metallers Boss Keloid awakened from a five year absence with Float & Aperture with the band taking upon an understated delivery compared to their trademark style of music they achieved with their classic last records. Truth be told I thought the band were done and dusted with their last album being released back in 2021. However, Boss Keloid always returns when the musical world needs them most.

Float & Aperture is perhaps their least heavy record yet but still offers a different style of progressive melody with the band channeling the likes of King Crimson, RUSH and Mastodon with TOOL-esque progressive melodies. The sound is quite grounded compared to their landmark 2018 album Melted On The Inch. The album is more personal which allows every member to channel their inner personal thoughts throughout the album without skimping on the Sludge Rock/Metal melodies. 

Lead vocalist Alex Hurst is the centre point of everything coming from a highly constructive narrative with some deeply personal lyrics emerging from the very start. Sometimes you want a heavy groove to change the musical direction though that allows Paul Swabrick (Guitars), Ste Arands (Drums and Percussion) and Liam Pendleburry-Green (Bass) to develop their own great musical style to run wild and expand into a classic style of Sludge/Stoner Metal exploration.

Boss Keloid keeps with their stop/start delivery throughout this record that allows their expansive musical attitude to develop within a true experimental approach. There’s a wicked style of Seventies Experimental sound that lends itself to a greater knowledge of creative narrative that fully develops early on between tracks Breeze, Pedestal and Weight that allows Boss Keloid to re-introduce their long terms fans to complex melody that saw the band upped their creative game within their last few albums

When things get heavy and brutally familiar then Boss Keloid are in magnificent form where they prove to the world why they’re one of the most unique bands within the underground Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. Everything feels quite different and superbly restrained but it’s Alex’s vocals which allows the rest of the band to construct a familiar destructive approach from start to finish.

I know some folks will say I’m talking ABSOLUTE BOLLOCKS with this review but Boss Keloid don’t play by the standard rules of Sludge/Stoner Metal and that’s an amazing thing to achieve once more but the guys have always been about a hundred steps of the competition. The way they blend Post-Rock, Psych, Prog, Grunge, Hard Rock and Stadium Rock anthems is simply breathtaking especially within the outstanding tracks of Weighted, Accord and Sanguine that left me thinking  - WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST LISTEN TO.

The production values off the scale with Boss Keloid exploring a level of “KITCHEN SINK” drama that allows them to have a refreshingly new grounded approach to their music. The stripped back attitude once again allows BOSS KELOID to demonstrate once again why they’re one of the most important Progressive Rock/Metal bands of our current musical landscape.

This is another simply incredible record from BOSS KELOID who are proving why they're absolute masters of their craft and perhaps influencing future musical generations. Yeah, I said that. The evidence is there for every future musician to discover and expand upon.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Since Always Press for the details.

Float & Aperture is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Church Road Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | LinkTree

Boss Keloid release new single 'Pedestal' from forthcoming album | Out today!

Boss Keloid have released their second new single from their highly anticipated forthcoming studio album 'Float & Aperture'.

'Pedestal' is out today and streaming everywhere!

Stream on DSPs HERE.
Pre-order the album HERE.

"The lyrics to Pedestal explore both the positive and negative sides of isolation, as well as its causes and effects. The song also contains a 10 year old riff from the Keloid archive we finally found a way to use properly. Enjoy!" - Boss Keloid

Boss Keloid seemingly achieves the impossible with each album they create, upholding familiarity in their sound whilst never remaining static. They are forever growing new limbs on their tree of creativity. Even after a decade in the game, this tree remains evergreen as these UK prog-rock mainstays find new and exciting ways to catch the listener’s intrigue. This is never more present than on their forthcoming LP ‘Float & Aperture’, poised to greet you like a good friend who's ready to lead you on a new adventure of sonic wonder.

Before undertaking this latest project, the band sought to find ways to unlock new methods of creativity, finding the best path was through collaboration.

“We wanted to challenge ourselves and each other more than ever during the writing process for this album, and developed a completely new way of working together as a result. Our writing process was more collaborative, experimental, and challenging than ever. We encouraged each other to tap into our musical and personal influences, as well as life experiences to generate ideas. We wanted more focus and enjoyment around the interplay and dynamics between melody and rhythm, and a better clarity and balance between our instruments and parts. We couldn't be happier with the result, and believe this is our strongest work to date” - Boss Keloid

Like the band's previous work, the lyrical content of each song on the album is drawn from personal experiences, difficulties, and life lessons. Vocalist Alex Hurst works to shape and describe these stories in a way which can be interpreted on a personal level by anyone, and hopefully align with their own lives. He sums up the overall theme of the album as follows:

"Embracing life, rolling with the punches and the waves of beauty, and not being afraid to channel and express those experiences through art, music, love, anger and wisdom. Experience tells a story if you don’t mind sharing it."

Boss Keloid has an impeccable release history, having already given flight to five critically acclaimed albums over the course of their career. Their last album ‘Family The Smiling Thrush’ made it into Metal Hammer’s top releases of 2021 and had Dom Lawson from Blabbermouth proclaiming “If it's a modern classic you want, look no further”. This sentiment is also shared for their live performances. Truly at home on the stage, the band ascends to even greater levels than their recorded output, delivering incredibly powerful and life-affirming performances.

The long and short of it is, where Boss Keloid goes, greatness follows and there’s no exception with this latest outing. This is another amazing chapter in the career of a band with an already glowing and rich history. Long standing fans will have their hunger satisfied, and for those joining the ride here, get ready to have your minds blown by ‘Float & Aperture’. Set for release on October 23rd via Church Road Records.

Track listing

1 - Breeze
2 - Pedestal
3 - Landslide
4 - Weight
5 - Aros
6 - Accord
7 - Sanguine

Members

Ste Arands - Drums and Percussion
Paul Swarbrick - Guitars
Alex Hurst - Vocals and Guitars
Liam Pendlebury-Green - Bass

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | LinkTree

Thanks to Since Always Press for the details.

Stoned Jesus - Songs To Moon (Album Review)

Release Date: October 09th 2026. Record Label: Season Of Mist. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Songs To Moon- Tracklist

1.Under the Skin 

2.Velvet 

3.ZYX

4.Syzygy

5.Jackal 

6.Window in My Room

7.One More Empty Day

Recording Lineup

Igor Sydorenko - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards

Andrew Rodin - Bass, Backing Vocals

Yurii Ciel - Drums, Backing Vocals

Review

Doom/Stoner Metal legends Stoned Jesus return with Songs To Moon which is the second chapter within their ongoing “Songs To” trilogy which opened with the acclaimed 2025 release Songs To Sun. This chapter offers a darker and complex sound to emerge that blends influences as diverse as NIN, Type O Negative, NEUROSIS, Sisters Of Mercy, Depeche Mode, Black Sabbath and Led Zep. 

However, this is still Stoned Jesus’s main creative outlook with emotionally charged melodies that travel through the multi-layered world of Doom, Post-Metal and Sludge Metal with some haunting Psychedelic Stoner Metal environments being the main creative glue that holds everything together.

The vocals are a mixture of clean vocals and harsh growls which shows the different ethereal sides of Songs To Moon compared to Songs To Sun. The music is quite jagged and offers a cautionary style of Post-Rock and Post-Metal that really unsettles the emotional intensity the previous album superbly captured especially within the opening tracks of Under The Skin, Velvet and ZYX.

Everything feels so grounded though Stoned Jesus always return to the OVER THE TOP sound that’s made their previous albums feel like such massive events that you constantly feel part of the action. There’s a sense of grounded reality when Stoned Jesus merges Industrial landscapes against a gloomy atmospheric level of grunge and murky prog metal grooves that always feel genuinely authentic. 

Stoned Jesus experimented with different styles of music throughout the album as you can hear acoustic movements and stripped back musical mechanics which never feel out of place even when the album could do add with that great style of pure heaviness. The lyrics are poetry in motion as Igor Sydorenko is really coming into his own as one of the best lyricists the Doom/Stoner Metal scene has to offer right now.

Every track has a beginning, middle and end with multiple different styles of Heavy Rock instrumental solos emerging from the darkness that transform into epic cinematic soundscapes on tracks such as ZYX, Jackal, Window In My Rooms and One More Empty Day.

The second half of the album reminds me mostly of Alice In Chains and Mastodon with how the progressive song structures are delivered that leave you astounded in what you’re actually hearing. I do wish the album was slightly longer than it’s forty one minutes as it does feel quite compact in places. 

However, Songs To Moon ends on an exciting finish and with the eagerly anticipated final chapter “Songs To Earth” being released next year, Stoned Jesus are perhaps in the most impressive part of their career to date and this album is another masterful record from them.

Brilliant. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Season Of Mist for the promo.

Songs To Sun is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Season Of Mist.

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

It's All About Mary - Exploring The Brane (Album Review)

Release Date: October 01st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Exploring The Brane - Tracklist

1.Psynker 04:55

2.Space Cakes At Dawn 05:24

3.Two Minute Window 11:04

4.Never Look Back 04:00

5.Plight of Ursa... 09:25

6.C Side Be 07:06

7.Hemlock 07:07

8.Farewell... 05:51

Members

Steve Zaniac Richards - Drums

Dave Bear Evans - Bass

Spring - Keyboards

Tony Lewis - Guitars

Review

Exploring The Brane is the debut album from Instrumental Stoner Metallers It’s All About Mary which was recorded and never released before the band went on a decade long hiatus. The band are now reformed and have decided to release their debut album and it’s one that embraces the classic era of Instrumental Stoner Metal with some cool modern Progressive based elements. 

It’s All About Mary are influenced by the likes of CLUTCH, KARMA TO BURN and TOOL though the band aren’t adverse to venture into areas of experimental rock. This is quite an in-depth and highly involving record lasting around fifty minutes in length as It’s All About Mary navigates around the world of Desert Rock, Doom and Psych Rock just for good measure.

There is a lot to digest here but It’s All About Mary is never boring nor do they play the same type of song twice. Everything is played meticulously and highly calculated with that epic TOOL influence allowing the band to create highly expressive different styles of Instrumental Stoner Rock/Metal on tracks such as Psynker, Space Cakes At Dawn and Two Minute Window. You can hear some freaky PRIMUS funk rock melodies forming amongst the gritty Stoner Metal surrounding landscapes with some cool sounding keyboards played by Spring. 

Exploring The Brane impresses the most within the epic longer tracks as It’s All About Mary has more time and space to create different styles of Heavy Rock which allows an aggressive Blues Rock and Alt-Metal vibe to fully form. The sounds are more varied with real intelligence behind the instrumental playing and with the added use of different Ambient themes and delicate Post-Rock vibes. 

You begin to appreciate how refreshingly different the album really is. If this was released back when the band were originally active, this could be considered a forward thinking record. Well, that’s the experience I encountered when listening to the album on tracks Two Minute Window, Plight Of Ursa…, C Side Be and Hemlock. The music drifts further into a Prog Metal abyss than the standard Stoner Rock/Metal sound within the shorter tracks.

There’s a lot of different musical variety from It’s All About Mary though their core Doom, Desert Rock and Stoner Rock grooves are never too far away with that style of music being the main order of business. The instrumental playing is first rate with It’s All About Mary proving what damn fine musicians they really are.

This is a different type of Instrumental Rock Album with it’s moody progressive textures but one that has a warm hearted “riff” driven approach as well which you feel mostly on the sublime tracks of Space Cakes At Dawn, Never Look Back, Hemlock and Farewell. There’s something for everyone here and with It’s All About Mary never playing by the rules, this is quite a bold and highly expressive record which will surprise a lot of people who give this the time and dedication the album richly deserves.

Exploring The Brane has all the hallmarks of a true cult album and should allow It’s All About Mary to become more well known within the underground scene.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Official | LinkTree | BandCamp | Instagram

MOLARBEAR - War Porn (Single Review)

Release Date: October 01st 2026. Record Label Self Released. Format: DD

War Porn - Tracklist

War Porn

Members

Rowan Morrey
Andy Morrison
Adi Henderson
Dara Monaghan
Dave Boyd

Review

Northern Irish Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal destroyers MOLARBEAR return with their latest single WAR PORN which is their first new material since their last release Cognitive Dissident that was released back in March 2026. The song continues the band’s vicious blend of Noise Rock that’s wrapped around an aggressive style of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal.

MOLARBEAR are perhaps consumed on the Noise Rock and Sludge Metal dynamics of their music for this track which comments upon the bad things that Social and Modern media brings to the world. This is quite a cautionary song with something real to say as the band add a jagged Psychedelic sound into the mix with the music feeling inspired by the likes of MELVINS, WHORES, NIN and FAITH NO MORE along the way.

The music is quite violent in places but MOLARBEAR do add levels of warped melody into their music which sees the band add some classic Eighties Heavy Metal guitar shredding when you least expect this. WAR PORN feels quite short at four minutes in length where I feel an extra couple of minutes could have fleshed out the overall message that MOLARBEAR are trying to convey here.

However, this is a relentless song that has a lot of violent energy that’s brilliantly ferocious with harsh commentary that does indeed make you take notice of what the band are saying here.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Twitter | Instagram

Boston Prog Metallers Momentary Masters Release New Video For Their Superb New Single "Body Tells" from their forthcoming new album

Prog metallers Momentary Masters have just released the latest video of their newest single "Body Tells" from the forthcoming album "Rheospect". Heavy, crunching riffs, ethereal vocals, and winding grooves are the name of the game for this crusher of a track.

Momentary Masters is a four piece Boston-based prog-lite rock band. Subtly weaving prog moves into a digestable, heavy riff-driven format, they are looking to share prog sensibility with the greater rock community throughout New England and beyond.

Their debut album, Rheospect, is a love letter to the album format as a narrative arc. In spirit it tells the story of the creative process from inception (“Prospect”), through the flow state of creation (“Rheospect”), and eventually to letting the product go (“Retrospect”).

Laid out in a palindromic structure, Rheospect plays straight through the roughly 70 minute run time and features big riffs, soaring choruses, dynamic instrumental shifts, and thematic easter eggs.

The band plans to support the record live in the Fall in the greater Boston area and is looking forward to digging into their sophomore record.

Momentary Masters - Rheospect

Album out Fall 2026
Self-released (Digital)
Boston, Massachusetts, US
FFO: Tool, Mastodon, Coheed and Cambria, and Karnivool

Momentary Masters is:

Peter Balogh - Guitar
Corey Fyfe - Bass
Jacob Josefsberg - Drums
M Levesque - Vocals

Tracklist:

1. Prospect
2. Doom and Gloom
3. Turning
4. Ghost
5. Midnight Oil
6. Still Life
7. Rheospect
8. The Waves
9. Farsight
10. Everyone Knows
11. Body Tells
12. Through the Veil
13. Retrospect

Links:

Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the details.

Boston Prog Metallers Momentary Masters releasing new single "Body Tells" September 25th

Out this Friday, September 25th, prog metallers Momentary Masters will release their newest single "Body Tells" from the forthcoming album "Rheospect". Heavy, crunching riffs, ethereal vocals, and winding grooves are the name of the game for this crusher of a track.

Momentary Masters is a four piece Boston-based prog-lite rock band. Subtly weaving prog moves into a digestable, heavy riff-driven format, they are looking to share prog sensibility with the greater rock community throughout New England and beyond.

Their debut album, Rheospect, is a love letter to the album format as a narrative arc. In spirit it tells the story of the creative process from inception (“Prospect”), through the flow state of creation (“Rheospect”), and eventually to letting the product go (“Retrospect”).

Laid out in a palindromic structure, Rheospect plays straight through the roughly 70 minute run time and features big riffs, soaring choruses, dynamic instrumental shifts, and thematic easter eggs.

The band plans to support the record live in the Fall in the greater Boston area and is looking forward to digging into their sophomore record.

Momentary Masters - Rheospect

Album out Fall 2026
Self-released (Digital)
Boston, Massachusetts, US
FFO: Tool, Mastodon, Coheed and Cambria, and Karnivool

Momentary Masters is:

Peter Balogh - Guitar
Corey Fyfe - Bass
Jacob Josefsberg - Drums
M Levesque - Vocals

Tracklist:

1. Prospect
2. Doom and Gloom
3. Turning
4. Ghost
5. Midnight Oil
6. Still Life
7. Rheospect
8. The Waves
9. Farsight
10. Everyone Knows
11. Body Tells
12. Through the Veil
13. Retrospect

Links:

Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the details.

The Well - ...And Flames Ran Like Living Animals (Album Review)

Release Date: September 14th 2026. Record Label: Spaceflight Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

...And Flames Ran Like Living Animals - Tracklist

1.Season Of The Flame 05:09

2.Love Cult (Xmas) 04:28

3.Between The Bodies 04:51

4.Mother Leeds 06:03

5.New Hallelujah For The Damned 03:54

6.Love Look This Way 04:52

7.Mystery Babylon 04:33

8.Dillinger's Requiem 01:07

9.Other Girls 04:33

Members

Ian Graham – Guitar and Vocals

Lisa Alley – Bass and Vocals

Jason Sullivan – Drums

Review

Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metallers The Well make a magnificent return with their new album ...And Flames Ran Like Living Animals which is their first record in six years. The band have always been known for their non-linear and cerebral approach to creating music and this record is no different but also perhaps being their most conventional in quite some time. The lyrics and vocals are wickedly subversive, touching upon both social and philosophical themes which gives the whole experience a trippy existence compared to their previous records.

The Well add a Space Rock objective to their music which allows the whole thing to be quite forward thinking but never losing focus of this grounded melodic rhythm the project within the opening stages of the excellent opening track Season Of The Flame. The music is made of different progressive sound structures with areas of Doom, Sludge, Stoner, Psych, Grunge and Alt Metal that is quite familiar but breathtakingly original at times. 

...And Flames Ran Like Living Animals never allows The Well to play it safe with some fuzz drenched guitars allowing Lisa Alley (Bass) and Jason Sullivan (Drums) to provide some deeply rich COSMIC instrumental passages for Ian Graham (Guitar) to provide a level of intense Sludge Rock surroundings.

The Well comment on the true important things going on in the world though also highlighting are too busy consumed with mundane things such as pop culture and social media that’s told within their superbly intelligent lyrics they’ve written for the album. Sometimes the record feels like a damning indictment of humanity in today’s modern age and I wholeheartedly agree with the message being projected here. Though, I could be looking way too much into things and coming up with a completely different message that the record actually holds.

Anyway, back to business. This record sees The Well create a wealth of different Psychedelic melodies and aggressive Sludge/Stoner Metal sounds that have a gloomy Occult and Proto-Metal pretence appearing. It’s quite hard to describe but it’s a method of music The Well have applied into their music on previous records. There’s some great musical influences that can be heard like BORIS, The Melvins and The Smashing Pumpkins but this is still The Well showing what they do so well.

The best parts of the record appear when The Well operate with a less is more approach and straightforward riff based delivery where the music becomes more restrained and fully contained. The mood is quite uplifting in parts before The Well once more explodes into a loud wall of pure Psychedelic noise. Sludgy rhythms dominate the musical landscape with fractured and disjointed Stoner Metal surroundings working superbly well with the great vocals delivered by Ian Graham and Lisa Alley.

Other standout tracks on the album are: Between The Bodies, Love Look This Way, Mystery Babylon and Other Girls. 

The later stages of ...And Flames Ran Like Living Animals sees The Well experimenting with surreal Ambient themes and sludgy Post-Rock soundscapes. There’s also a tough vocal exterior that appears out of nowhere which gives The Well a highly confrontational style which ultimately succeeds on every level that allows the album to end in quite a highly convincing fashion and leave you begging for more great music when everything is said and done.

...And Flames Ran Like Living Animals is a record that demands multiple listens to understand the whole message The Well have created with this album. The production values are off the scale with this being the best record The Well have produced to date. It can be quite challenging to listen to at times but the sheer volume of amazing grooves throughout make the whole journey worthwhile.

This is an incredible record and no doubt that will be lauded as one of the most essential records to own this year alone.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Rapidly Aging - You're Not Yourself Lately (Album Review)

Release Date: October 02nd 2026. Record Label: Fig On West. Format: DD/Tape

You’re Not Yourself Lately - Tracklist

1. Distant Sirens Wailing (2:41)

2. Fleeting Moment (5:47)

3. The Negative Thought Loops (4:20)

4. Awoken From A Bad Dream To An Even Worse Reality (7:58)

5. How Quickly The Ground Falls Out Beneath You (5:13)

6. Unsaved (6:46)

7. To Keep From (7:48)

Members

Music by Shalor Howell

Guitar, Slide Guitar & Bass performed by Shalor Howell

Drums performed by Matt Hendler

Pedal Steel Guitar & Violin performed by Ethan Fogus

Review

You’re Not Yourself Lately is the debut album from Ambient/Post-Metal collective Rapidly Aging who brings a dense and progressive style to the Post-Metal world as Shalor Howell (the creative mastermind behind the project) explores a slow style of music that allows other areas of Post-Rock. Shoegaze and Sludge Metal to fully form. Rapidly Aging takes their time in building highly melodic Post-Rock structures that are firm and hold steady one moment before a towering force of Atmospheric Sludge destroys everything for a heavier style of ritualistic passage to form.

You can hear influences from the likes of Pelican, Neurosis, OM, Pink Floyd, Earth and Russian Circles which shows you the type of musical surroundings that Rapidly Aging aims for. The whole thing does take time to fully get moving along but it’s a deeply reflective journey that allows the Ambient and Post-Rock sounds to appear within the haunting opening tracks of Distant Sirens Wailing and Fleeting Moment. I would consider these tracks the most straightforward songs on the whole album as Shalor Howell moves along into some unexpected themes of music for the stunning third track The Negative Thought Loops. 

The Negative Thought Loops combines Post-Metal aesthetics with a gloomy Americana, Gothic and Southern Folk sound which is held together by a commanding Post-Metal presence. The instrumental passages are heavy for the most part but Rapidly Aging then aims for a subtle Alt Rock and Experimental based flow. The whole thing tries to strive for pure Post-Metal heaviness but settles for a great style of Post-Rock and Post-Doom aggression. Parts Neurosis and Pink Floyd combine for a sound that’s perhaps one of the most reflective moments on the whole album.

Fourth track Awoken From A Bad Dream To An Even Worse Reality never shies away from playing a monumental style of precise progressive melodies that have a certain Pelican (Australasia) vibe to them. The free-flowing “cinematic” journey of the track brings a low-key Psych Metal aspect into the mix. The song is equally spaced out and fuelled by tranquil Post-Rock themes that feel cautiously optimistic but quite content to remain in the darkness at the same time.

The level of music experimentation is excellent with some deft classical rock and jazzy scores starting to make themselves known on the second half of the album. All of the vocal samples that provide the main storyline for the album are taken from the classic 1974 French film “The Man Who Sleeps” with this album acting as the unofficial soundtrack. I haven’t seen the film but the samples used are magnificent where they are matched up to the music amazingly well especially within the Ambient sections of the whole record.

The final three tracks of the album allows Rapidly Aging to fully explore the heaviest and progressive moments on the album whilst keeping to a slight Orchestral delivery mostly on How Quickly The Ground Falls Out Beneath You and To Keep From. There’s a determined energy to how the music is delivered with intense Progressive musical beats becoming thicker and denser that allows the album to reach it’s emotionally charged conclusion.

You’re Not Yourself Lately is not an easy album to listen to but it’s the overall journey that Rapidly Aging takes you upon that’s the real highlight. For an instrumental record, Rapidly Aging have crafted a dark and mysterious record that offers no easy answers but you can’y deny how brilliantly powerful the record is when everything is said and done….

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.

You’re Not Yourself Lately is available to buy now.

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