SLIMELORD
SLIMELORD “Chytridiomycosis Relinquished”
By Lord Randall
“The Beckoning Bell” begins firmly in left field, with what sounds for all the world like deranged chickens squawking away until the massive bass-driven riff hits, and Hell spews forth from the guts of vocalist (if you want to call him that) Andrew Ashworth. Already a rollicking almost loping groove is present, albeit intermittently shattered with chaotic moments of blasting death euphoria. This, friends, is a 7+ minute trip through your lower intestinal tract, so deep is the rumble manufactured by SLIMELORD here.
Dual leads vomit us forth into “Gut-Brain Axis”, each guitarist being revealed as more than capable at crafting emotive solos over the course of this extended abuse. One thing the Yorkshire lads have never turned their back on is dragging out a song to almost unbearable lengths, but rest assured, interest doesn’t falter, despite the unhurried tempo over much of the album. Think less of lollygagging and more of a slow, deliberate pace, and you have the idea.
“Batrachomorpha Resurrections Chamber”, the fulcrum here, is strangely PINK FLOYD-ian in that THERGOTHON way, less an actual song than a loose pattern of ideas woven into a coherent soundscape that often leaves the listener feeling out of sorts. Moments of VOIVOD in the coda, possibly even GORGUTS, and that’s when it hits me. Production-wise, at least, there’s something very “Obscura” era GORGUTS about this debut.
Witness the penultimate “Tidal Slaughtermarsh”, where after ripping faces in gleeful grindcore abandon, a mid-paced wave of sludge and ooze cascades over thine ears invoking the name of the tune. Truth in advertising, I believe it’s called. Truly the sum of what’s come before within “Chytridiomycosis Relinquished” thus far, it’s ridiculous to assume this could be anything that except the final song in live shows, so much is the energy that has to be expended.
Not for the faint of heart, nor weak of stomach. Only five years deep into the muck, and if this is what SLIMELORD’s doing from the start…