Slower – Slower
Origin: USA
Release: 26.01.2024
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Duration: 38:42
Genre: Stoner / Doom
I was very excited about the first output of this project because of the team behind the name Slower and the musical background are something special. The band is a project from the who’s who of doom and stoner.
But let’s start the story in 2020. As a guitar teacher, he brought Fu Manchu-Guitarist Bob Balch a protégé playing Slayers South Of Heaven at. Since the track is a well-known one but not an easy one to play, he slowed the song down to practice. After adding the drums, the idea of a band germinated in his mind Slayer to pay tribute in this new guise.
The first musical mind games came about in a detour Monolord-Drummer Esben Willems and he was also thrilled. Friends were included and shared the euphoria. That’s how the bass players came Peder Bergstrand von Lowrider and Scott Reeder of Kyuss in addition. The singers came together to sing Amy Barrysmith von Year of the Cobra and Laura Pleasants der Sludge-Band Kylesa. With this casserole of well-known names, who isn’t excited to see the results?
From Slayer to Slower
There have always been attempts to reach a larger audience by forming a supergroup. But the genre, the origin of the matter and the implementation contradict any dubious suspicion. Slower just resist the temptation Slayer not to replay them, but to completely deconstruct the songs and put them together in a new context.
If the distinctive and still recognizable Slayer If it weren’t for the riffs, only lyrically confident fans could relate to the kings of thrash metal. Slower The originals slow down completely, place everything a distorted hand’s breadth across the floor with a deep clatter and refrain from incorporating any beating attacks.
Another counterpoint in the approach is the concise and challenging voice of Tom Araya with Amy Barrysmith and Laura Pleasants to contrast two seductive and sinister interpreters. They bring us the black lyrics from Slayer closer like a siren and with golden voices. You can be sure about the implementation and the result HERE at the opener War Ensemble to take a picture.
Blood red, decelerated low tones
Slower to construct Slayer completely around. You can’t hold a candle to the kings of thrash metal on your own territory. Simply replaying it would be a bloodless undertaking. That’s why it’s the only way to like the great hymns The Antichrist, Blood Red, Dead Skin Mask and finally South of Heaven to reinterpret.
It’s undoubtedly great, but it probably won’t reach the Thrash Metal faction, because the cover versions exude heaviness and depth, but leave no room for the rousing speed of the original. The debut of Slower is made for the stoner and doom faction and only they will feel the depth created. Still, it’s a tribute Slayer The result is a negation of the musical originals.
It is uncertain whether the euphoria of the band and fans will continue and the band will embark on a second work. The creation of Slayer still offers plenty of black and bloody material for interpretation. But just slowing things down could become too boring in the long run. Slower have to come up with new ideas and arrangements and we can look forward to it. The current status is a powerful genre debut and a worthy tribute to the thrash metal kings.
Conclusion
Slower resist the temptation to emulate the kings of thrash metal with simple cover versions. Instead, they deconstruct the energy of Slayer and reassemble them with all the genre-typical trademarks. Slayer-Riffs and lyrics crossed with fuzzy stoner and doom feeling. It fits well, but not everyone will like it. 8 / 10
Line Up
Amy Barrysmith – Life
Laura Pleasants – Gesang
Bob Balch – guitar
Scott Reeder – Bass
Peder Bergstrand – Bass
Esben Willems – drums
Tracklist
01. War Ensemble
02. The Antichrist
03. Blood Red
04. Dead Skin Mask
05. South of Heaven
Links
Instagram Slower
Also on Soundmagnet.eu
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EP Review – Imperium – When Kings Meet
Live Review – Thrash ‘n’ Death Escalation, B72 Vienna
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