Desert Psychlist always approaches demos/promos sent our way from Russia with a little trepidation as the majority of requests we get receive from Russian bands are usually so heavy, so blackened and so harsh that it is physically dangerous to listen to them. It was for this reason that after seeing a post on social media extolling the virtues of a Russian combo going by the name of Swamplord, we approached their new release with a level of cautiousness only usually reserved for checking for monsters hiding under the bed. Thankfully we needn't have worried as Swamplord's second album "Tombstone" is so far up Desert Psychlist's street we've invited it to move in.
Swamplord are Ilya Mitin (vocals); Konstantin Igonin (bass) and Sergey Chizhov (guitar/effects), the band make no mention of who handles the bands drum parts on this release but we can confirm that they are there and are of a thunderous and pulverizing nature. Line ups aside what you get for your money with "Tombstone" is a release that borders on the doomic but probably leans more towards a more heavy stoner/hard rock dynamic, albeit laced with an element of proto-doomic rawness.
The sound of radio being tuned into a music station introduces first track "Capricorn" before erupting into a Sabbathian groove overlayered with a vocal that is clean, strong yet dialed far back enough in the mix to give it an effect of remoteness and haziness. The songs groove is built around a repetitive circular riff, occasionally broken up by slight deviations in tempo and dynamic, and is decorated with solo's that are not quite Iommic but come close. Title track "Tombstone" follows a similar path to "Capricorn" but this time dials in a little more doomic darkness to the equation, its riffs coming over danker, murkier and heavier than its predecessor, something that also translates over to the songs vocals which are delivered with a sinister slur for the songs verses but are then swapped for clean harmonies for the chorus, the song finally signing out on a heavily effected bass guitar motif. " Highway" raises the heat and the tempo with a chugging riff fest that is pure stoner rock in both its construction and execution while "Acid Litany" mixes its downers and its hallucinogens together to create a tripped out psychedelic doom anthem that tells of "naked virgins on the floor" and an "acid ceremony" that lasts "until dawn". "Sleepfinder" takes all that has gone before then enhances it by adding some fiery bluesy guitar into the mix as well as a very strong vocal that is both powerful and melodic. "Surburban Weed" replaces the laid back melodies of the previous track with a grittier more forceful vocal display and a groove to match those vocals before instrumental "Well, I'm A Bongmaster" signs things off in gnarly assed heavy stoner style.
It seems pretty clear from the outset that Swamplord take much of their inspiration from the low, slow, heavy grooves of stoner legends Sleep, much like Sleep did from Black Sabbath, which would also explain some of this albums drug references and otherworldly lyrical content, however this is not a Sleep tribute or worship album, Swamplord may take their influences from the Californian trio but there's enough on "Tombstone" to show these guys have their own thing going on.
The legend written beneath the bands Bandcamp page states that "Swamplord will take your souls" ..... they've taken ours now their coming for yours!
Check 'em out .....
© 2021 Frazer Jones
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