EP Review: Bleeth – Harbinger (Seeing Red Records)

Miami’s Bleeth latest vicious, visceral slab is out on May 28th 2021 via Redefining Darkness Records. Called ‘Harbinger’, it follows the band’s first full length from 2018 (Geomancer) which helped establish Bleeth. Now with Harbinger, they up the ante in just about every sense.

Harbinger, delves into internal struggles the band had with faith in self, public institutions, moral authority, and the afterlife. Bleeth has a growing fear that new technology and crisis would bring our society closer towards authoritarianism. The album title Harbinger is a reference to the omens these internal struggles imply for the future of human society.

Absolutely oozing dark intent, Bleeth’s Harbinger is 17 minutes of doomy sludge with a a lot of twists and turns. Very atmospheric, with melodic depth and so much filthy fuzz. It’s a welcome shot into the arse for the sub-genre. Proof that you can always do more even while having thick and veiny riffs, head-crushing bass and gut-busting drums. That’s before you take the vocals into account too, mixing clean highs and gruff growls in a more ‘shouted’ way rather than sung.

It’s a style that adds weight to the grim heaviness that Bleeth exude. 17 minutes of uncomfortable sounds and intense atmosphere. It might seem short on the surface but Bleeth make the experience so harrowing it feels so much longer. Not that it’s a drag, though. In fact it’s surprisingly addictive to listen too. The first few times, the general sludgy doominess is what wraps around. On further listens, you’ll find yourself breaking out of the shroud to uncover what is a wealth of musical ideas and detailed depth.

There’s so much more to Harbinger and Bleeth than being ‘heavy’. It just so happens that they’re really damn good at it though.

Bleeth – Harbinger Full Track Listing:

1. Initiation
2. Skin of Your Teeth
3. False Prophets
4. Convenient Drowning
5. Pendulum
6. Dystopia for Dessert

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Seeing Red Records