Domkraft – Seeds
Release Date: 30th April 2021
Label: Magnetic Eye Records
Pre-Order/Stream
Genre: Psychedelic Sludge
FFO: Mastodon, Sleep, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard.
Review By: Paul Cairney
‘Better living through monolithic volume!’
These words are taken from the press release for the 3rd album from Swedish psychedelic sludge trio Domkraft. The album is called Seeds and, cliché alert, it demands you turn the volume up to 11, a monolithic volume if ever there was one!
The album’s opener, Seeds, greets you like an old friend. It has a riff that reaches out to shake you by the hand, but somehow switches to a massive bear hug without you realising. In these Covid times, it is comforting to know that music is allowed to do this. The riffs breathe, sections of the song have subtle hints of Mastodon, and it is ultimately a seriously impressive opening salvo in the 7 track, 45 minute-ish album.
The intent of the band to bring the heavy is constant. Into Orbit is the third track, and it is nothing short of immense. Unforgiving riffage is complimented by Martin Wegeland’s outstanding vocals. Indeed, Wegeland delivers a truly mesmerizing performance throughout the album, enhancing the big fuck-off riffs that feature in each song.
Dawn of Man is another superior slice of sludge, with a dirty, dirty guitar tone courtesy of Martin Widholm. The riff seems to get filthier as the song progresses, with Anders Dahlgren controlling everything on the drums. It is a song that will never stop impressing you.
Then, as the next song begins, the wheels start to wobble, and a couple come loose.
Tremors is a song that never quite gets going, although fans of the more psychedelic side of sludge will potentially appreciate more than I did. It is by far and away the most Pink Floyd song on Seeds. It is then followed by Krank Blekhet, 1 minute and 7 seconds of the rampant unnecessary. These 2 tracks utterly derail Seeds. They are at odds with the tone of the rest of the album, which is soul-crushingly disappointing.
The final song ‘Audiodrome’ is a fine track to finish the album on. Over 9 minutes long, it is a grandiose epic to close out an album that was almost, but not quite, great.
Domkraft have all the tools to be a top-drawer psychedelic sludge band. Their albums show progression. They have a sludge-tone that other bands would kill for and they are a genuinely tight trio that bring the heavy.
Listen at monolithic volume for full effect.
(3.5 / 5)
