Album Review: Beldam – Pasung (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release Pasung, the new album from Doom/Sludge titans Beldam, their first with new vocalist/lyricist Randall Guidry. Influences range from Sleep, EyeHateGod, Graves At Sea, The Melvins and Black Sabbath.

An absolutely filth encrusted release, the heaviness that Vial of Silence brings is some of the darkest sludgy doom heard in a while. A simply brutalising experience that impresses with it’s contrasting vocals. One deep & booming, the other guttural & high in a blackened metal style.

After a depressing melody, Sunken Sorceress kicks into a fantastic boot-sucking groove before it drops all pretence of rhythm, instead delivering a troubling & punchy beat with vocals roared out. It’s an initially cool sounding change but it goes on for a little too long.

Shed the Coil’s slow & methodical filth brings thanks back around thanks to the sudden injection of pace the song occasionally throws in. It’s then followed by the intense & very lengthy, One from the Stable. Pasung might only be six tracks long but it makes the most of its time. Not always the wisest move though as One from the Stable drones on and on.

However the penultimate track, Carrion Feast proves to be the highlight of the entire record as it spits out groovy sludge-based riffs, heavy doom hooks & a thumping beat that claws at the brain matter.

Pasung closes on That Which Consumes You. A trippy melody succumbs to the swamp slowly, the dirty ooze slowly creeping over it until swallowed whole.

Beldam – Pasung Full Track Listing:

1. Vial Of Silence
2. Sunken Sorceress
3. Shed The Coil
4. One From The Stable
5. Carrion Feast
6. That Which Consumes You

You can order the physical copy of Pasung here and the digital copy here. Find out more about Beldam on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & pick up earlier releases on their Bandcamp.