Band:	Slomatics
Album:	Canyons
Style:	Sludge metal, Stoner metal
Release date:	June 14, 2019
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

01. Gears Of Despair
02. Cosmic Guilt
03. Seven Echoes
04. Telemachus, My Son
05. Beyond The Canopy
06. Arms Of The Sun
07. Mind Fortresses On Theia
08. Organic Caverns II

Belfast sludge/doom metal band Slomatics started kicking their own can down the road back in 2004, on the cutting edge of sludge’s extreme downtuned sonic excess as it bled heavy and permanently into stoner/doom metal DNA. For the past 15 years, Slomatics have maintained relentless momentum, achieving continuous activity since their split record with Conan in 2011. Their 2019 album Canyons is a testament to the power of heavy music, drawing clear parallels to the sounds of Electric Wizard and Sleep. While these influences are evident, Slomatics have crafted a soundscape that is both imposing and mesmerizing, forging a distinct niche in the realms of doom and sludge. Canyons does more than follow established genre conventions; it expands them, creating an experience as vast and intriguing as the landscapes its title evokes.

From the opening "Gears Of Despair," listeners are immediately hooked into a cavernous realm of crushing riffs and hypnotic rhythms that stretches across a mammoth 10-minute track. The guitars, tuned to seismic depths, resonate with a primal force that feels almost tectonic in its impact. It's a sound that recalls the heaviest moments of Conan, yet Slomatics infuse it with a melodic sensibility that keeps the listener hooked, a deft balancing act that few in the genre manage so successfully.

While less bludgeoning than previous offerings, Canyons still packs a hefty punch, showing fire-blast mid-pace and Tom Warrior (Triptykon)-esque gutturals in "Cosmic Guilt." "Telemachus My Son" delivers a similarly forceful impact, with war-cry vocal shouts, priest-like choir incantations, throbbing keyboard lasers, and a blend of simplistic doom. The penultimate track, "Mind Fortresses On Theia", pulses with a hooky directness. The production allows each instrument to breathe, enhancing both the softer and heavier moments, and revealing Slomatics' strength in building atmosphere, with the short interludes "Seven Echoes" and "Arms Of The Sun" providing sweet, delicious breaks that let the album swell and throb organically.

Canyons delves deeply into themes of cosmic existential reflection on human insignificance, echoing the vast, unforgiving landscapes with near-silent ambient sections punctuated by thick, pummeling riffs—a technique Slomatics have mastered in their previous works. However, it falls short in the conclusion, delivering a furious yet out-of-place explosion that lacks steam and ends incoherently in "Organic Caverns II". While Canyons evades the monotony of Future Echo Returns, Slomatics' brand of doomy sludge thrives on repetition and banality. The softer touches throughout the album provide much-needed variety and tonal shifts. On the contrary, I was expecting something more explosive and speedier—a heartier contrast of sound.

With the existence of genre heavyweights like Neurosis and Isis, Slomatics possess a distinct voice that is unmistakably their own. The ability to blend crushing heaviness with moments of transcendent beauty sets them apart, ensuring Canyons leaves an indelible mark. It's a ravenous unit waiting for to unleash more.

Highlights: "Gears of Despair", "Cosmic Guilt", and "Mind Fortresses On Theia"