It’s been a long time since I took drugs. A long, long time. Nothing has tempted me to pull a cone for many years, although if I was going to do it for any reason, that reason would be to listen to ‘Come Midnight’ stoned. And it would probably be out in the middle of nowhere in the Flinders Ranges with no city lights, but a full moon to wander around the scrub in.
Adrift For Days are undeniably Australian in their sound, bringing back memories of listening to The Scientists in my youth. Although ‘Swampland’ sounds pretty tame now, at the time it was groundbreaking and very disturbing to the ears of parents and neighbours around the country, including mine. It’s good to see the tradition continue.
Incorporating elements of doom, sludge, stoner, drone, metal, fuzz, psyche and anything else dark and menacing, the record is largely instrumental with passages of intense vocals. Packed with so many sounds, listeners will find their own reference points that feed into this three-dimensional web of barbed wire, brambles, silk and bondage tape.
‘Come Midnight’ is one of those records that goes on forever but finishes in no time at all. It’s like swimming through mud that’s made of air. It soothes you, pulling you into a peaceful floating ether, then smashes your face in with a brick before stroking your head and telling you everything is alright. Well everything is not alright and if you’ve come here looking for salvation you’ve knocked on the wrong door, but if you’ve come for confirmation of our pitiful existence, then slither right in, drink this brew, and wait. Don’t be too scared though, nothing’s going to bite, except perhaps the creature that starts devouring your leg half way through the 20 minute closing track.
Adrift For Days take you through an ever-changing nightmare that ends with your own expiration, signalled by tribal drums before unplugging the machine that’s been keeping your pathetic, miserable heart beating. You make one last feeble and wretched attempt at breathing, but no one cares that you can’t.
Listen to it loud and remember to check your pulse.
Come Midnight will be released through Art as Catharsis on 13 July and you can have a listen and preorder on Bandcamp.
Posted by Gilbert Potts
