Album Review: Red Swamp – Desertdrive (Hunnia Records)

Hungarian stoner-sludge metal bandits Red Swamp might be familiar to anyone keeping a keen eye on the eastern european underground scene, their recent second LP, titled “Desertdrive” was released this year on 4/20 (a number any self-respecting listener of the genre should be familiar with)!

The band formed in 2015 and 3 of the founding members remain to this day, vocalist Greg Kovács, guitarist Zoltán Bereczki and bassist Sándor Szabó.

The guys received support from the National Cultural Foundation of Hungary to deliver their second release. Under well known hungarian label Hunnia Records, with sponsorship from the “Hanfoglaló Program” which they used to fund the recording process. It was then mixed and mastered by the band’s own guitarist, Zoli Bereczki.

Beginning the sludgy proceedings with plenty of energy, it’s no surprise that Waste was chosen as the first single of the album. With buckets of stoner groove, the fuzziness that is often associated with the sub-genre is far cleaner here allowing the vocals to really shine. An easy track to enjoy.

Crossed brings a harder beat as the drums crash, the riffs get right down and dirty and the vocals even roar with metal venom. Quite a contrast between the first two tracks showing off Red Swamps versatility.

That continues into the title track as hot & arid air blows over you. The Emptiest keeps the quality rhythm trucking along nicely. Before Leech and Castaways provide mammoth sized chunks of heavy stoner groove with surprisingly harsh moments of heaviness and soaring vocals. The former has a nice bit of sleaze. While the latter attempts to make you vomit up your last meal with stomach churning hooks and black metal style gurgles!

It’s a crime that Red Swamp’s Desertdrive is only 8 tracks long. Each one is a force to be reckoned with and different enough to stand out individually. If there is any particular track that is lacking the same oomph, it is Rediscover and only because the vocals don’t wow in quite the same way. Certainly don’t want to do it a disservice though as the guitars pick up the slack nicely!

This excellent release closes out with one final high-tempo track that brings a punk rock snarl and surrounds that with so many strong riffs. Queen of the Dirt leaves many in the dust with its heavy rock rhythm.

Desertdrive can proudly hold its sunburnt and thirsty head up high knowing its one of the finer stoner sludge releases this year!

Red Swamp – Desertdrive Full Track Listing:

1. Waste
2. Crossed
3. Desertdrive
4. The Emptiest
5. Leech
6. Castaways
7. Rediscover
8. Queen of the Dirt

[amazon_link asins=’B07CXVKHX7,B07CXYC2NF,B07CXYYL6C,B07CXZ6NVZ’ template=’UseThisOne’ store=’g0e5b-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’1605dd11-7fae-11e8-a370-27b0017e88b2′]

Red Swamp is out now and can be picked up/listened to via Bandcamp, Spotify, Deezer, Google Play and via Apple Music below. You can find out more/keep up to date with news by liking their Facebook Page and subscribing to their YouTube Channel for videos.