If you were to play Limb’s sophomore record ‘Terminal’ straight after 2014’s self-titled debut, without knowing who they were, you’d probably assume you were listening to two completely different bands. This isn’t the case, however, it’s just the London four piece have taken long strides in the last year. Not only have Limb parted ways with drummer Jodie Wyatt and taken Tom Mowforth (ex-Uncle Acid) on board to wield sticks, but they also paired up with extreme metal producer Russ Russell for ‘Terminal’ – an unusual choice when you consider his past clients include the likes of Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir and Evile.
This odd pairing has worked in the band’s favour, however; while last year’s album saw Limb take a stripped down, almost primitive approach to their music, ‘Terminal’ is a massive slab of groove laden stoner dirges. The up-tempo, dirty sounding riffs are partnered with a heady fuzz and low slung basslines. Rob Hoey’s vocals manage to pack a powerful punch while refraining from screaming and staying coherent throughout every song.
Limb are often lumped into the same category of other well-known underground stoner/sludge/doom bands, and while they may share a similar work ethic, Limb more than hold their own. Partnering monstrous sound with a blues-laden danceable groove they’ve carved out their own niche within the scene and proven that they’re more than one trick ponies who need to beg, steal and borrow riffs from outside influences in order to produce fresh material. This is Limb’s best work to do date, helped massively by pristine production quality, everything about ‘Terminal’ is huge and heavy with just the right amount of accessibility.
(7/10 Angela Davey)
Leave a Reply