(((O))) Review: Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard / Slomatics – Totems

Cast as a collaborative effort rather than the usual split release, this release from two of UK’s finest doom metal bands allows for a more thematic feel rather than the usual pairing of bands. Splits are a great idea, and often serve the purpose of widening a bands fan base whilst also offering a quick way to get one of your tracks on to wax. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard and Slomatics take the approach that whilst they may not be playing together, they can at least strike a balance across their requisite tracks, creating an atmospheric ambience to the otherwise crushingly heavy occasion.

MWWB have come on in leaps and bounds since their debut Nachthexen, and have slowly introduced a more experimental sound to their music. Still infused with crushing riffs, cascading over the ethereal vocals of vocalist Jessica Ball, a siren call of a singer, enticing you ever onto those rocks of doom, it is in the moments when they drop the riffs for the synths that they have set themselves apart from the pack. This is a trait they share in common with Slomatics who have always had a more progressive edge to their music too, and here they play off each others strengths to deliver a master-class in modern doom metal.

‘The Master and His Emissary’ features a rather stunning middle section where the spacier elements come to the fore. After the first few minutes of crushing riffs, they allow the music to open up with Ball becoming a choral backdrop against a guitar solo steeped in classic rockism. The interplay between the riffs of Paul and the guitar histrionics of Wes as they entice each other on into heavier realms is only matched by the incessant drumming of Carrat, a drummer born of the old school of pummelling the shit out of your kit, taking no prisoners, but all the time keeping the line steady.

‘Eagduru’ is doom in its more classic sense. When the band aren’t busy taking a highway down to space rock, they turn a neat line in grimy riffs with this being more dirty than usual. It’s an itching wound of a track which plays to Jess’ vocals perfectly. Interestingly though, where-as in the past the focus has been more on the vocals, here you start to hear more of a statement from the band. It adds a nervous energy, as they each fight their corner, pushing the music forward. With this comes increased opportunity in the future to really expand on their more experimental flavours and this can only be an exciting prospect based on the two tracks available here.

Slomatics, on the other hand, may have retained their trad doom roots, but within that have steadily pushed themselves forward as standard bearers of the scene. Their last album, Future Echo Remains, pushed the boat out in terms of what doom could be, and they continue that work here with three tracks of varying heaviness. Indeed, the second offering is a piano led lament. Taking a sharp turn into the atmospheric after the crushingly heavy ‘Ancient Architects’, a track which pretty much cements why Slomatics are one of the best bands on the ground at this moment, the almost beautiful ‘Silver Ships Into The Future’ is a breathtaking moment of clarity amongst the heaviness which proves that within this band is a progressive monster awaiting escape.

As the end of ‘Masters Descent’ turns into a master-class of heavy music, you have to wonder how much more this band can do before they are spoken of in the same terms as a band such as Mastodon. In technical terms the band are laying a path towards the same progressive tendencies, albeit at a much heavier pace, but in terms of having that sound which can break across genre boundaries, even within the often closed confines of metal where tribal roots stay strong, they are already there. Here they lay their claim to being one of the most interesting prospects in metal, and that they are more than ready to take that step up. Let’s hope that the wider metal world cottons on not just to Slomatics, but to MWWB too, as they both deserve all the plaudits they get. An excellent release from two bands ready to prove that doom can be intelligent, as well as prehistoric.