Friday 6 December 2013

Moloch/Meth Drinker - Split 12"


I'm in need of a release. It's been a busy week and tonight's commute took the biscuit. One hour to travel what would normally take thirty minutes when the trains are running normally and insufferable fellow passengers. I'm quite tolerant but I have limits! Anyway, my release comes in the form of this cracking split from UK gloom-mongers Moloch and graphic New Zealand sludgers Meth Drinker.

I love it when bands from opposite ends of the globe find an affinity and work together and this was one of the records I was eagerly awaiting this year. I know it's been out for a little while now, but I couldn't resist reminding you all about that harrowing claret cover art and the matching tones within.

The split was released by Feast of Tentacles in cooperation with German label Crucificados and was limited to 700 copies. 500 on black and 200 copies on red, with a really nice large card insert inside, featuring the songs, lyrics and prominent band logos. It's a really nice release.

Tracklist:-

1. Meth Drinker - Spleen Splitting Pavement
2. Meth Drinker - 731 (Reprise)
3. Meth Drinker - Test Subject
4. Meth Drinker - 2 Minutes Hate
5. Moloch - Vomit Phobia
6. Moloch - Hunchback

When people think of doom, they think of looonnngggg songs. Well, you don’t get that here. Meth Drinker, drenched in feedback, open their side up with Spleen Splitting Pavement. It’s quite an apt song title as the bass tone they produce probably would split your spleen if played loud enough. Vocals are used sparingly and the guitar tones are low. The drums hold down a menacing beat, which  only pauses to allow that bass to take centre stage for brief moments. 731 (Reprise) is a lowly interlude, before Meth Drinker pick up their feedback drenched gloom again with Test Subject

If this is what it feels like to used in bizarre medical tests, then I don’t want to be a part of it. It’s crazed enough to drive you mad, digging it’s way into your subconscious with a claustrophobic live sound. Picking their pace up for the intro to 2 Minute Hate, which rounds out their side, they let samples do the talking before unleashing a cacophony of growls that echo all around. They get a bit trippy mid-way through, though their minimalistic doom is not far away. Their formula of keeping things to the point, works well but still leaves them enough time to groove and add subtle ideas. Another pleasing slab of noise from NZ.

Moloch are slightly more pensive with their first contribution, Vomit Phobia. A calm guitar intro makes for peaceful listening before they lurch into live, with more buzzing feedback and a metallic sound clash from the cymbals. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing Moloch live, you’ll know that they’re pretty damn engaging, even when at a near halt. Vomit Phobia gives you plenty of time to get immersed, as it spans over nine minutes. 

They don’t stay at the same tempo through the song though. They inject the mid section with a more up-tempo passage which breathes life into the song and their use of simple but creative riffs, helps prove that their song-writing is still at a very high level. With no break, Moloch’s second song Hunchback begins. It’s more off-kilter and dissonant this time, which has the band sounding more confrontational. It feels like they’re winding up to something, as the tones change and the guitars scream before odd riffs are unleashed in time with the drums. UK doom has always been inventive and genre-leading and Moloch are leading it’s extreme sect in my eyes.

You can stream 2 Minute Hate from Meth Drinker's side here:-



Moloch have put both of their tracks up on bandcamp:-



You can get the split from Feast of Tentacles via their distro -
http://www.feastoftentacles.com/distro.html

Meth Drinker Blog - http://methdrinker.blogspot.co.uk/
Moloch Drinker Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/molochsludge

5 comments:

  1. can you point me towards a page that contains the lyrics to this split? or, if you'd email/post them? any help would be greatly appreciated.

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  2. i have it! i bought the vinyl when it came out, and i archived it on disc like i do all my lps. a house fire destroyed most of my music vinyl collection.

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  3. Oh shit! Sorry man, I had no idea. I'll have a further dig around and see what I can find for you.

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  4. Hey dude, if you drop me your e-mail address, I'll e-mail you the lyrics next week, when I get some time.

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