EP Review: Plague of Carcosa – Ocean is More Ancient Than The Mountains (Sludgelord Records)

Plague of Carcosa is a 2-piece instrumental doom band formed in the spring of 2016; the band was created by cult leader Eric Zann in the forgotten corners of Chicago to explore the darker, more droning side of metal. Taking cues from the heavy textures Sunn O))) and Bong, and introducing the terrifying themes of Lovecraft, Eric self-released the debut The Color Out Of Space, and the cult grew.

Recruiting a drummer and second guitarist as high priests of the cult, the group quickly took to playing in a style often compared to local heroes Bongripper, whilst also taking notes from the mighty Conan and Thou. As they honed their material, Eric released the 70-minute experimental piece (‘Ritual 1’) and shortly after, the group worked with Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos) on their first release as a group, Hastur, which was unleashed upon the world in May of 2017. The winter of 2018 saw the release of ‘Rats in the Walls,’ a 15-minute behemoth, which was mastered by Dennis Pleckham of Bongripper.

The latest release, Ocean Is More Ancient Than The Mountains, once again sees the cult teaming up with Andy Nelson and Dennis Pleckham, this time operating only as a two-piece. While they have lost a high priest, they have gained followers all over the world with their sonic adaptations of the works of Lovecraft and invocations of the Great Old Ones.

Ocean Is More Ancient Than The Mountains is set for release digitally and audio cassette via Sludgelord Records on July 19th 2019.

Lovecraft inspired doom? I’m sold before the Plague of Carcosa have even played a single fuzzy, feedback-laden note. Two tracks, both as mind-bending as the work of the great horror author and as heavy as the imagery of Cthulhu’s sunken city.

The first track, The Crawling Chaos serves as a tribute to the great Nyarlathotep and lays out the thickest doom riffs heard this year and maybe even longer. The guitar buzzes around the skull like a swarm of flies over corpses with punctuation added by the most intense drumming. A faster, almost grindcore segment changes things up for a truly frantic finale before it drifts away into uncomfortable feedback.

The second track, ‘Madness at Sea,’ is intended to pay tribute to the ‘Call of Cthulhu’ chapter of the same name. The swirling guitar screeches consume before the droning doom takes over forcing its sticky and wet fingers into the mind. The evolution of this track is truly outstanding, the riffs melting and melding with ease and added ambience making this one hell of a track.

Simply sublime.

Plague of Carcosa – Ocean Is More Ancient Than the Mountains Full Track Listing:

1. Crawling Chaos
2. Madness At Sea

Link

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