Review: Yanomamö/Slomatics – Split EP
Iommium Records from Sydney, Australia, are releasing this 7” Split, on blue coloured vinyl, featuring two tracks between label stalwarts Yanomamö, also from Sydney, and Belfast’s very own Slomatics that’s due for release on August 27th. Both tracks are slabs of sludgey down tuned grooves that showcase contrasting vocal styles.
The split EP’s first foot forward is from Yanomamö’s track Dig Two Graves that drags the listener through thick heavy guitars from the onset. For the first half, vocalist Scott Tabone delivers a deep demonic drenched vocal lead that is deliberately unnerving and doused with revenge. The second half, the band allows the song to breathe which then erupts into a roaring sludge doom fest until the double time drops for an inspired outro. Their socials also have a link to a live performance at the legendary Frankie’s Pizza in Sydney that’s worth checking out.
Track number two is Slomatics and their second split of 2021 (the previous is an EP with Ungraven). The band consists of two guitarists and a drummer, however there is no shortage of low end in any of their music. The track, Griefhound, is a re-imagining of the album opener from their 2007 album Kalceanna and although both are excellent, the huge wall of sound that is on this split is hard not to be impressed by it.
dystopian reverberating vocals, underpinned by all the fuzzed-out guitars…
Prior to becoming a full-time member, drummer Marty Harvey would get up onstage and sing Griefhound, so when he fully joined, they took the opportunity to release the bands definitive version of the song on this 7”. There’s a real purpose and passion through the grief that’s captured on the dystopian reverberating vocals, underpinned by all the fuzzed-out guitars.
A band from Sydney and one from Belfast seems like an unlikely pairing in the current lockdown climate, but at least the power of the internet is still working. Slomatics guitarist David Majury and Jason Higson from Yanomamö crossed paths over their mutual love of fuzz and amps (GAS – gear acquisition syndrome is a real struggle, which you can also read about when David was interviewed as part of Josh’s In Search of Tone series) that eventually lead to the 7” split. For Slomatics this will be split number eight over their extended career, with rumours that number nine might not be that far away.
Label: Iommium Records
Yanomamö: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Slomatics: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Maxx
