Friday 1 April 2016

Band To Check Out - Sarama


Release date: March 1st 2016. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Sarama – S/T – Tracklisting
1.Breathe 08:41
2.The Tower 06:26

Band Members

Angela Shatswell – Guitar
Robert Pennington – Guitar/Vocals
Phil Merwin – Drums
Damian Harris – Bass/Additional Vocals (Breathe)

Review:

From the depths of Oregon’s murkiest swamp crawls the mighty Sarama, offering their intoxicating self-titled release bubbling with sinister harmony and muddy, fuzzed-out goodness!

The aptly named ‘Breathe’ respires menacingly as we are plunged into the vast, dark husk of an inanimate behemoth. We descend rapidly into the seemingly bottomless chasm of this intense song as a foul draft reveals that our host is stirring. Fans of Isis and Neurosis will savour the simmering, provocative build of unstrained guitars and stodgy percussion as they swell to a climax of sonorous, humid grooves. Tasteful, understated lead worms its way through the wreathing mass of sound whilst direful bass groans delectably in the depths, beckoning us to cut our tethers and free-fall deep into the phantasmagorical world that Sarama have created.

Part two, ‘The Tower’ utilises an array of emotive sonic textures to produce a landscape awash with volcanic activity and a noxious atmosphere. Subtle, percussive guitars ricochet around a barren vale before a monsoon of tearing riffs carry a piercing, primal war cry to terraform to the land and resurrect its monstrous inhabitants with a vibrant concoction of concentrated doom. Frenzied lead work conducts the reanimating life forms in an ayahuasca induced shamanic dance amidst the tsunami as the ground cracks and mountains crumble.

Fans of Conan, Cough and YOB will find plenty to enjoy in this small but wholesome offering. The two songs on offer here are a self-contained microverse of abstract chaos and beauty. It is an epic adventure condensed into 15 minutes of suspense and brimming energy, demonstrated with the expressive poise of a high-wire tightrope walker. I was a little surprised that the diverse dynamic scope of the record didn’t bleed into its accompanying artwork, but that scarcely takes away from the quality of such a visceral piece of music.

I will be keeping a keen eye on Sarama and look forward to future releases. I would be psyched to see what they put together on a full length release!

Words by ThisHairyGuy

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp