Slump - Dust (EP Review)

Release Date: May 03rd 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Dust - Tracklisting

1.Dust 03:19

2.Buried 04:02

3.Kneel 07:16

4.Vultures 06:02

Band Members

Drums - Kabu

Bass - Olly

Guitar, Vocals - Matt

Review

Sludge/Stoner Rockers Slump impressed me last year with their split release “SP/LIT” with fellow UK Doom/Sludge Metallers At War With The Sun. Two of the tracks Dust and Buried from that acclaimed release now feature on this new EP along with two unreleased tracks Kneel and Vultures. This is the last release to feature original bassist Olly Lawrence who has been replaced by new member Ben Myles.

Dust is a twenty minute offering showcasing Slump’s brash and aggressive style of Sludge/Stoner Rock with a Punk Rock swagger. Echoes of Red Fang energy appear within the two opening tracks Bust and Buried especially within the faster moments of the both tracks. The sound is quite raw with a no frills production style which allows Slump to have a more “dirge” edge to their music. 

Dust does allow Slump to pay homage to their musical heroes and influences to bands such as Alice In Chains, DOWN, Corrosion Of Conformity, Black Sabbath and even Mastodon in places. The FUZZY guitars allow Slump to get DOWN and DIRTY with the excellent grooves and psychedelic energy that appear mostly within Buried and Kneel.

Matt’s vocals have a certain 1990’s sound and energy to them which lean heavily into the Punk Rock scene whilst still being part of the WEEDIAN scene. Though, his vocals become heavier, aggressive and quite deafening on the second half of the EP.

The tracks Kneel and Vultures are being heard for the first time and I’m impressed yet again by what I hear from Slump. The songs are very much of the Grunge/Stoner hybrid sound that’s starting to appear more and more within the scene. This allows Slump to become more DOOM and HEAVY METAL obsessed as well with the sublime guitar solos that appear within Kneel alone.

Dust is another fantastic release from Slump who are on the right track of becoming more well known within the UK scene. Within a few years then I could see Slump doing great things within the UK and European Sludge/Stoner Rock scenes. 

Check these guys out now. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to DC Sound Attack for the promo

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Birmingham based Stoner Rock/Sludge Trio SLUMP will release their first EP, titled 'Dust', on Friday 3rd May 2024.

The Brummie trio's highly anticipated EP 'Dust' follows on from last year's split release with At War With The Sun, 'SP/LIT', that saw Slump songs 'Dust' and 'Kneel' released to acclaim last December ahead of a string of regional shows with both bands. The 'Dust' EP features both of these tracks alongside two previously unreleased studio recordings, recorded - for the most part - in the band's own DIY studio setting over the last few years before mixing and mastering from Thom Egerton. Formed in 2018, Slump re-emerged in late 2022 as a live force of nature, stripping down to a power trio. Relentlessly bringing presence, intensity and energy across the Midlands and beyond, Slump's worship of the riff - with shades of Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath, Corrosion of Conformity and Down - has gained serious momentum. In between the releases of 'SP/LIT' and the full 'Dust' EP, Slump have welcomed Ben Myles on bass guitar after the departure of original bassist Olly Lawrence earlier this year - who performs on this release. Slump guitarist and vocalist Matt Noble is also known for being the guitarist in Alunah. His first full-length with the Birmingham quartet, 'Strange Machine', was released by Heavy Psych Sounds in 2022, with tours with Paradise Lost and The Obsessed in its support. Matt says, 'We're so excited to finally release these new tracks and round off the original era of Slump! We've been jamming these songs since the very start of the band and are delighted with how they've come out. Make sure you play them obnoxiously loud.' Dust was mixed and mastered by Thom Egerton, the artwork for the EP was created by Zulfajrimb and the bass guitar was recorded and performed by Olly Lawrence.  Slump Links Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram Thanks to DC Sound Attack for all of the info. My review will be arriving soon.

Slump/At War With The Sun - SP/LIT (EP Review)

Release Date: 08th December 2023. Record Label: Self Released.. Formats: DD

SP/LIT - Tracklisting

1.At War With The Sun - The Garden 09:54

2.Slump - Dust 03:19

3.Slump - Kneel 07:16

SLUMP - Members

David Kabbouri Lara - drums

Olly Lawrence - bass

Matt Noble - vocals, guitar

At War With The Sun - Members

Karl Bicknell - Bass

Alex Keen - Drums

Jon Weatherill - Guitar and Vocals

Review

SP/LIT is the new split EP release from Death/Doom/Sludge Metallers At War WIth The Sun and Doom/Stoner Metallers Slump which features two bands with stark contrasting visions to each other. At War With The Sun brings a Death based despair to their blend of Doom/Sludge Metal which remains constantly downbeat and aggressive throughout which appeals to fans such as Khanate and THOU. Slump play music that’s inspired by the good old days of KYUSS, Alice In Chains and Crowbar

At War With The Sun’s track The Garden is a Death/Doom musical odyssey powered by slow paced heavy monolithic tones with a subtle Sludgy Metal sound that is quite seedy which has an air of Prog Metal within the song. The band still show a fine destructive Doom/Sludge Metal appetite which occasionally ventures into Blackened Stoner sounds but the harsh vocals from Jon Weatherill allows the song to retain it’s hollow and earthly desolate Death/Doom vibe. The long drawn out Sludgy guitars have a vicious level of FUZZY atmospherics before changing into more Psychedelic flavours that I didn’t expect.

The two tracks from Slump are what you expect for a band influenced by the 90’s Doom/Sludge Metal scene with a healthy appetite of seedy Grunge vibes. There’s a Alt-Rock/Alt-Metal flavour appearing within their first track Dust which also expands into Punk Rock sounds that remind me of The Offspring in places. Though, Dust retains its Doom/Stoner Metal credentials which also has a familiar UK Underground flow to the track.

Slump’s final track Kneel goes down the GRUNGE rabbit hole using bands such as Alice In Chains and Soundgarden for inspiration in places. However, the sudden appearance of NOLA sounding Sludge/Stoner Metal guitar passages moves from one highly atmospheric passage to the next. The instrumental work can be quite Psychedelic for the most part with the vocals having that off-kilter PUNK ROCK approach before exploding into Harsh Growls which gives Slump an almost similar style to At War With The Sun in places.

SP/LIT is a well observed and superbly constructed release that features two great bands from the UK Doom/Sludge Metal underground scene. Both bands offer a different style of music to each other but the EP also makes perfect sense why the bands decided to release SP/LIT. As they both have similar sounds to each within the heaviest and filthiest parts of the EP.

At War With The Sun and Slump have delivered the goods with this great SP/LIT release.

At War With The Sun Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Slump Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram