Concrete Lung
We were recently put on to the duo that is Concrete Lung and their new EP, Subtract Nerve. Exploring the futility of existence and its toll on the soul, this EP is designed to continue the duos journey towards oblivion, sticking to the heavy tone set by their previous (vinyl only) release, Die Dreaming, and showcasing what two guys are capable of doing when they set their minds to it. Featuring 4 brand new tracks as well as a re-recording of their track ‘Flux’, this EP promises to set William and Ed up as an act to behold – so I figured it was time to take a listen.
Fading into being through the eerie opening moments of User we’re led into a world of feedback, echoed vocals and a sense of foreboding, building the anticipation for the start of the EP as the mix continues to build around you. Soon reaching the full intensity of the track and hammering into a sludgy mix of roaring vocals, downtuned guitars and hammering drum work, the echoed moments that began things soon fade into oblivion as we’re propelled into this world of all our distortion. Deep and powerful, there’s a real sense of devastation prevalent throughout this track, hammering the message home with the hammering elements and crafting a sound that’s deep, distorted, and downright scary. Self-Shriek (Intensity) continues this approach further, this time picking up the pace to fully accentuate the power within their ranks and forging a sound that’s surely crafted for the live scene. Deep and distorted once again, the sense of foreboding returns throughout this track, hammering out a track that oozes with evil, yet leaves you unable to resist what you’re hearing, keeping you involved from start to finish safe in the knowledge that this is seriously heavy stuff, and it sounds damned good.
Moving on to Rot and Seethe we’re once again led into the track gently, the pained sense of feedback returning to signal the beginning of things whilst building the mix around you. Kicking into a track which harks towards the glory days of Cavalera’s side project Nail Bomb, the raw guitar and vocal combination which we’re greeted with hits home with aplomb, once again demonstrating the understanding of metal these two have got. Raw and powerful throughout, this is a serious high point on the record in my opinion, and a moment to make sure you check out if you get a chance. Continuing to push their boundaries into Waste this idea of raw and distorted metal continues, once again hammering out a track which harks back to the glory days of heavy assed metal when the likes of Slayer and Sepultura were the kings, and the music was raw, heavy and in your face. There’s something about this track which once again sounds akin to Nail Bomb style stuff, forging a sound which is based around the bass heavy rhythms, distorted guitar work and guttural vocal lines – it’s a mix that’s not for the faint hearted, but again, it sounds damned good from where I’m sat.
Kicking into the re-recording of Flux we’re presented with one of the heaviest moments on the EP, hammering out a track packed with distorted guitar work, strange electronic effects and vocals that could strip the paint off of the walls. Bass heavy and firmly rooted in the realms of sludgy, slowed down raw metal, it’s easy to see why the guys revisited this track for a redo as simply, it’s a showcase of their style, ability, and understanding of power. Even going so far as to add in a chant along break down, this is a track that’s once again perfectly suited for the live scene, the sort of thing that’s going to get pits moving, people jumping and joining in, and the venue crumbling. Whilst Flux signals the end of the album in essence, we are presented with one final hurrah in the form of a hidden track, finishing the EP fully with a strange opening, and distorted track designed to leave a lasting memory of what you’ve just experienced, and what an experience it’s been.
When I first saw that Concrete Lung was only a 2 piece, I had my doubts as to how much power they’d actually be able to muster across their tracks – but how wrong I was. This EP is a pained expression of the futility of life, leaving you questioning everything you know, wondering what the point of it all is, yet presenting you with a musical accompinment to the doubts that life presents. At times out there and almost progressive, whilst at other times, more straight forward and firmly rooted in power, this EP presents us with twists and turns that are sure to keep you guessing, listening and wanting more.
To find out more about Concrete Lung, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Fading into being through the eerie opening moments of User we’re led into a world of feedback, echoed vocals and a sense of foreboding, building the anticipation for the start of the EP as the mix continues to build around you. Soon reaching the full intensity of the track and hammering into a sludgy mix of roaring vocals, downtuned guitars and hammering drum work, the echoed moments that began things soon fade into oblivion as we’re propelled into this world of all our distortion. Deep and powerful, there’s a real sense of devastation prevalent throughout this track, hammering the message home with the hammering elements and crafting a sound that’s deep, distorted, and downright scary. Self-Shriek (Intensity) continues this approach further, this time picking up the pace to fully accentuate the power within their ranks and forging a sound that’s surely crafted for the live scene. Deep and distorted once again, the sense of foreboding returns throughout this track, hammering out a track that oozes with evil, yet leaves you unable to resist what you’re hearing, keeping you involved from start to finish safe in the knowledge that this is seriously heavy stuff, and it sounds damned good.
Moving on to Rot and Seethe we’re once again led into the track gently, the pained sense of feedback returning to signal the beginning of things whilst building the mix around you. Kicking into a track which harks towards the glory days of Cavalera’s side project Nail Bomb, the raw guitar and vocal combination which we’re greeted with hits home with aplomb, once again demonstrating the understanding of metal these two have got. Raw and powerful throughout, this is a serious high point on the record in my opinion, and a moment to make sure you check out if you get a chance. Continuing to push their boundaries into Waste this idea of raw and distorted metal continues, once again hammering out a track which harks back to the glory days of heavy assed metal when the likes of Slayer and Sepultura were the kings, and the music was raw, heavy and in your face. There’s something about this track which once again sounds akin to Nail Bomb style stuff, forging a sound which is based around the bass heavy rhythms, distorted guitar work and guttural vocal lines – it’s a mix that’s not for the faint hearted, but again, it sounds damned good from where I’m sat.
Kicking into the re-recording of Flux we’re presented with one of the heaviest moments on the EP, hammering out a track packed with distorted guitar work, strange electronic effects and vocals that could strip the paint off of the walls. Bass heavy and firmly rooted in the realms of sludgy, slowed down raw metal, it’s easy to see why the guys revisited this track for a redo as simply, it’s a showcase of their style, ability, and understanding of power. Even going so far as to add in a chant along break down, this is a track that’s once again perfectly suited for the live scene, the sort of thing that’s going to get pits moving, people jumping and joining in, and the venue crumbling. Whilst Flux signals the end of the album in essence, we are presented with one final hurrah in the form of a hidden track, finishing the EP fully with a strange opening, and distorted track designed to leave a lasting memory of what you’ve just experienced, and what an experience it’s been.
When I first saw that Concrete Lung was only a 2 piece, I had my doubts as to how much power they’d actually be able to muster across their tracks – but how wrong I was. This EP is a pained expression of the futility of life, leaving you questioning everything you know, wondering what the point of it all is, yet presenting you with a musical accompinment to the doubts that life presents. At times out there and almost progressive, whilst at other times, more straight forward and firmly rooted in power, this EP presents us with twists and turns that are sure to keep you guessing, listening and wanting more.
To find out more about Concrete Lung, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls