Meth Fetish - Meth Fetish EP

Labels: Dry Cough Records/Piss Gargler Records

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital (maybe, though it's not available yet)

Release Date: 01 Nov 2019

Tracklist:

1. Blinded To The Suffering

2. Wasted

3. 200 Ton Self Destruction

4. Incurable

5. Repeated

This is the 40th release from a label whose 1st release was a discography tape by US sludge/doom band Plague Survivors. That piece of detail is important because Meth Fetish is a similarly gnarly sludge band of that ilk. This international duo hasn't been around for very long and this is the band's first utterance, having been self-released in 2018. 

Here goes, a leap into the unknown (sort-of). Far from the drawn-out, festering riffs of the sub-genres current fave’s, Meth Fetish presents a filthy and sometimes death metal-laden take on sludge/doom. Blinded To The Suffering is a bass-heavy opener with crashing percussion and vocal shrieks that sound like they’re made of razors. Screeching feedback is also a fixture as you’d expect and it leads you into Wasted with barely a moment for your ears to rest from the ringing. Wasted feels and sounds a lot more claustrophobic this time, as the duo slows things down. It’s awesome.

The longest song on the EP is very aptly titled 200 Ton Self Destruction and destruction is exactly what Meth Fetish set’s out to achieve…mentally anyway. After it’s lengthy instrumental build-up it becomes more of a groovy beast, albeit one with undertones of menace and misery at it’s core.

Penultimate song Incurable has a minimalist feel to it early on, but with a tempo that seems to have slowed ever since the EP’s first song, it’s not gonna be all bells and whistles is it! Post-metal melodies seem to ring out amongst the feedback and the drumming keeps you guessing as to when it’s going to explode. It’s much more improvisational than you might expect and it never truly does explode, with the vocals coming in at mid-point and an off-kilter vibe flowing though it all.

Without releasing it you’re thrust straight into EP closer Repeated and this is where the gloom really takes hold. The spoken-word sample sets the tone somewhat and what’s left is aural torture of the best kind. It’s getting to that time of year where dusting off those sludge records makes sense. You can add this to the list of releases that will not only keep you warm during the winter months, but will also make others realise trying to socialise with you is futile. A belter of an EP from a band that will certainly become more than just a fetish to many extreme metal fans. 

You can currently stream the full EP via CVLT Nation here:-

Meth Fetish - https://www.facebook.com/methfetish/

Tape copies are officially released via Dry Cough Records this Friday, but you can pre-order your copy here - https://www.drycoughrecords.com.

There's no official word on the CD pressing yet but keep your eyes on Piss Gargler Records here - https://pissgarglerrecords.bandcamp.com/music.

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords/

Piss Gargler Records - https://www.facebook.com/Piss-Gargler