A Wocket in your Pocket. A Yeps on your Steps . These both may seem alarming enough. But a Noothgrush on your toothgrush??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hell no. Good old Dr Seuss . Not only did he give us some of the most fun tongue twisiting tales to tantalise our toddlers with but he also helped name a stupendously superb sludge syndicate. (I can’t keep this up even for the Scrambled eggs super de booper of Peter T. Hooper)
Noothgrush returned a couple of years ago after much time in the wilderness (or wherever West Coast bands go when on hiatus) and have teamed up for this 5 track split with Japanese heavyweights Coffins. The blokes from Tokyo have displayed their love for Noothgrush before by covering tracks for EP’s so there is an air of inevitability about this team up.
What a team up it is! Noothgrush get the lion’s share with three tracks and one weighing in at over 9 minutes but Coffins ain’t no wallflowers and ensure with their two tracks that you get a wocket in your pocket . (Stop this Seuss nonsense).
Noothgrush come out of the traps with “Humandemic” a rumbling beast that drew me in from the get go. My first thought in hearing this was regret. Regret that I had only just discovered this band that have existed (including the aforementioned lengthy break) for two decades. I felt like Indiana Jones discovering the Arc of the covenant. However Humandemic did not last long and I was soon transported to a different Harrison Ford franchise. Tusken Raiders usher in “Jundland Wastes” which is a re-recording of an old Noothgrush track. This Star Wars geek felt himself transported to Tattooine by the bleak but earthy vibe of this track.The harsh vocals and heavy as a Bantha riffs would get any moisture farmers head banging sloooooooooooooooooooowly. Chiyo Nukaga’s drumming provides a perfect foil for the riffs and sludge picking out a jazz like rhythm showing that you don’t have to blast to crush.
The Oakland four piece’s final track on the split is a nine minute tribute to West Coast Radio Legend (apparently) Cy Thoth. The track is peppered with samples from his show “The Firebunker” for KFJC . Cy passed away in March this year and Noothgrush pay tribute to this champion of underground music in true crushing style. The track swirls and builds then spirals back down to build again. Like a rollercoaster built in Angel Delight the listener is sent on a journey through sweet cloying goo. The final word goes to Cy “ Watch out when you are out and about for cannibal attack. Everyone is suspect!”
With that the baton is handed over to Coffins from Japan. Only two tracks to pummel the aural receptors . But what beauties!
“Drown in Revelation” drops like a wrought iron snowflake. How can something this heavy be so damn gorgeous? Jun Tokita’s bassy death vox are utilised as an instrument themselves and the Celtic Frost influence is there from the opening “Ooooough” to the break half way through. Coffins are not afraid to speed things up – a boon in the midst of so much one tempo sludge and doom metal. The final track on this “The Wretched Path” has so much groove I felt like sticking a white suit on and throwing some Travolta shapes. Good taste and a sense of dignity stopped me from doing this but I threw some Metal Scene allowed shapes instead. There is a definite soupcon of death and roll about Coffins and definitely warrant further exploration.
(8/10 Matt Mason)
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