Back in 2014, I was having a blast at Bloodstock as I always do, a 3-day hangover usually started by a night of serious liver abuse in Brewdog Birmingham the day before hand, and reliably topped up during the festival. The weekend would never work out well though if it wasn’t thanks to the regular cups of tea over at the Motley Brews stall (Check them out if you go Bloodstock, great brews and great guys), but it is thanks to their numerous collection of business cards and flyers from bands that I find these little-hidden gems. In the year of 2014, one stuck out in its simplicity, ‘The Darkhorse, Jagermeister stage Sunday. Bring a beard.’ That was all I needed and mother of God, was I glad I did! The tiny stage was barely large enough for any band, but they owned it like it was huge as they smashed through a loud, aggressive, sludgy filled set. Instantly I was a fan.
Finally, in 2017 their album is here. ‘The Carcass of the Sun will Sleep’, 8 songs of doom-laden, sludge driven, brown sound heaven. The aggressive sound of their live performance is harnessed and executed superbly, the vocals are far more varied than I remembered, guttural bellows and the weighty, hardcore/sludge shouts are clear and articulate. ‘Dying is the only Cure’ is a prime opener with a touch of everything to expect from the album. Tempo changes, crushing rhythms, dirty leads, feedback, it’s a match up of everything I expected and then some. ‘March of the Infected’ needs little explanation of the songs story, but it brings the most insanely addictive riffs of the album, the southern infused spirit is strong with the track, and it’ll be a huge pit starter, it reminds me plenty of the time I first saw Armed for Apocalypse playing ‘Hero Complex’ live, tracks and moments like that you just don’t forget.
The feel of the album never waivers, nor does the impact, the time it has taken to get the album done has been worth it leaving no weak links of fillers. ‘Dead Crows’ is one that should be familiar with it having a video recently released, but nothing quite hits you like the closer ‘Congratulations You’ve Survived the Human Cull’, what a fitting end it brings the album to!
‘The Carcass of the Sun will Sleep’ plays nicely for those that like their music disgusting. There’s appeal for a variety of music fans here, but it really is a must for those that are fans of Crowbar, EyeHateGod, Superjoint etc.
The Carcass of the Sun will Sleep is release February 24th via Attic Records.
