Slugdge – Esoteric Malacology

Oh, boy… I can’t really believe I’m covering a snail themed death metal album, but here we go!

Metalhead pop-quiz time: name the band consisting of two British guys playing a unique blend of deranged death metal! I know you already have the answer, but just in case it’s still clinging to the tip of your tongue, it starts with an A and ends with Nathrakh. No we’re not talking about that one, but the other British duet playing a slug-themed unique blend of deranged death metal, Slugdge.

So why are you reading about this here and now? Well, I would have ignored their snail shenanigans too, had it not been for the metal-blog-hype-machine. And yes, I caved and gave it a listen (or dozen), and YES it’s just that GOOD. This album encompasses all that I love about metal, greatness coming from unexpected sources. And you would be very well justified to overlook it. Stupid band name, pun-y song titles about mollusks (War Squids … really?!?), but what about the music itself? Well it’s about the best thing I’ve heard in a long time, coherent composition, exceptional execution, played to perfection, and all alliterating adjectives you can imagine.

I’ll try something I don’t normally do, and give you a track-by-track showcase of what this album consists of:

Kicking it off is War Squids, a thrashy opening setting the overall tempo of the album. What we have right out of the gate are ballsy riffs, delicious leads, and the deranged delivery of vocalist Matt Moss. It does it’s job to set the correct tone and have the record hit the ground running.

Next is Crop Killer (I know…..). It starts with winding bass arpeggios and launches into the first progressive song of the album. There is a complete change of direction, for the better, in my own humble opinion. We are also treated to the great chorus featuring clean vocals rivaling those of Dave Hunt from the aforementioned Anaal Nathrakh, before finishing in a stomping groove.

And then we have The Spectral Burrows, which changes the direction once again, going for a more modern prog-death approach. The general atmosphere reminds me of Hypocrisy, with a very Tagtgren-esque delivery of the chorus. Speaking of which, this one will surely get firmly lodged in your head, and it’s also a highlight of the fact that the lyrics distance themselves from the “witty” song titles:

Sink in, inhale the ichor 
why not assume your true form? 
Join with us this is our blessing 
unified as one forever 
biologically entwined 
Together until the end time. 

Next up is Slave Goo World, which brings us firmly back into death metal territory. This one truly shines through it’s rampant riffs. The direction it takes is very Mastodon-ish, taking a page directly out of the Brent Hinds composition hand book. It doesn’t reach that particular banjo-ness but it comes very close.

By this point you may be pining for some black metal, and Slugdge delivers! Transilvanian Fungus start with a Satyricon arpegio, and forges on mid-tempo in what can be considered the album’s blackened death track. Commanding vocals bring to mind Nergal, and staccato drums drive the festering feel home.

Putrid Fairytale may be the best song to scratch the surface of what the entire album has to offer. It starts with more Mastodon riffs before launching into a pure death-metal assault. Both lyrically and musically this is the most complex song of the album and it’s a technical wonder. Even moreso, it continually spirals around and is modulated by thrashier passages to give it a good grounding.

And we arrive at what is my favorite song of the album: Salt Thrower (again, I know…). It starts with an old-school death metal feel, but the clean vocals overlaying echoing lead guitars give it an ethereal feel. The progression of this song is something that you really must experience. The tension is dragged out as much as possible before launching into an ever evolving aural assault. The cherry on the top may be the Iron Maiden-esque harmonized solo towards the end.

Limo Vincit Omnia closes the album returning to the Hypocrisy vibe. Also this song features the closest comparison you can find with fellow Brits Anaal Nathrakh, again by the way of the chanting chorus. The drums, programmed as they are, provide a highlight here, really whipping the riffs into place.

So there you have it. I still feel I’m not doing this album justice, as I can’t find a single flaw musically. Conceptually, it is as far away from my current palette as they come, but somehow you need to embrace your inner invertebrate.

PRAISE MOLLUSCA!