I do like an E.P. Which is pretty lucky as there seems to be loads of them flying about at the moment – hey Ed you need to start letting us put them in our fave lists of the year [err nope Ed].
What used to be seen as “just a stop gap” between albums or a non L.P single backed with some daft indulgences, now gives bands an opportunity to get a smaller more compact and bijou collection of tracks out to an audience in the chance they may part with some readies.
Following from the delightfully crushing Under Sullen Skies in 2020 and stand-alone single The Shift last year, Brooklyn’s Tombs have recorded a quintet of very different tracks for Ex- Oblivion.
Tombs have attracted the label of Post Black metal with all the baggage both good and bad that that holds with it so it is with glee that I can let you know that this collection has 5 tracks which are completely different from each other and show vastly different sides of the band.
There are two covers here both by legends of the rock world, one remix of a track from Under Sullen Skies and two new compositions. Each are bloody cracking in their own right.
Things kick off with the title track which is a groovy doom dark metal affair with some great gothy vocals from main man Mike Hill. It rocks along with a great riff and enough pomp and ceremony to carry it through without disappearing up its own backside. Little bit Crematory little bit PL and thoroughly foot stomping.
Next up is a run through “Killed By Death” by well you know who. The opening solo is spot on and the main chugging riff hits just as hard as on the original. Hey it’s a brilliant song played with reverence and the right mix of punk and bluesy rock. What’s not to dig?
Another cover next – this one of “Commit Suicide” by everyone’s favourite shit flinger GG Alin. Now I don’t know the original so cannot pass comment on how well they have covered it. What I heard is a dirty, gnarly Darkthrone style crust punk track with manic drums and crazy guitar lines. “Fuck the pigs, fuck the folks, death is where it’s at”. Yeeeeeeah baby.
Sombre Ruin from “Under Sullen Skies” is up next – given a dark electronica remix. The original is a brooding sombre instrumental but this remix is just fucking dirty. Rib shattering low ends, vocals that sound like the big aliens in Fifth Element, Casio 1980’s synths and dirty beats. This sounds like something off of El-P’s Def Jux label ten years ago. I can just see Run The Jewels spitting bars over the top.
Final track “Murder Legendre” features Dwid Hellion of Integrity on modified piano and noise and showcases more dark electronics. This sounds like what would be played in an isolation tank of the Event Horizon. The piano is ominous enough without the foreboding spoken word sounding like a demonic HAL.
Blimey – this is how to draw in new listeners, drop 5 tracks that pique interest and leave plenty of questions. I look forward to the next album with relish and slight trepidation.
(8/10 Matt Mason)
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