Album Review: Molarbear – You Will Need Gods (Cursed Monk Records)

Cursed Monk Records will release Belfast-based experimental sludge band Molarbear’s sophomore album ‘You will Need Gods’ on December 23rd, 2022.

A mature take on sludge with experimental depths, Molarbear’s new album is one well worth studying. The mix of discordant heaviness, nightmarish sludge groove, eccentrically dramatic rhythms, and crushing intensity is certainly ear-catching. Even if their twisting and turning sound can be jarring and difficult to grasp on an initial listen.

It’s the excitement of experiencing the depths of Molarbear’s experimental mind that will keep most coming back though. Across multiple plays, the music really grows in strength and stature, the challenge becomes more open, and the desire to go deeper with the band, grows and grows.

There are ten tracks here and there’s nothing in the way of repetition or wasted time. Molarbear begin in unusual fashion, run an entire gambit of unconventional and enthralling metal, before walking away with confidence. Keeping the entire experience tight at just around 30 minutes, necessary as there is so much to unpack.

It’s not easy to capture the imagination in the way Molarbear do across the entire You Will Need Gods run. That alone is more than worthy of praise. In a world of super-short attention spans, the group have devised a way to not just grab a listener, but they’ve found the tight grip needed to hold on to them. Even if such a level of experimental isn’t quite your jam, Molarbear have such an array of heavy and uncivilised sounds to offer that few won’t find something they like about the whole experience.

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Cursed Monk Records