EP Review: Sugar Horse – Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico (Fat Dracula Records)

The ever-mercurial, boundary-pushing UK heavy doomgaze quartet Sugar Horse will release their mesmeric new EP, Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico, on November 3rd, via Fat Dracula Records (distributed by Metal Blade Records in US).

Telling the story of Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico, the band state:

It’s frequently been difficult for us, as a band, to limit ourselves to “normal” pop song lengths and structures….as evidenced in pretty much all of our releases to date. From time to time we feel the need to lose the ropes that bind us and let our Long & Tedious flag fly freely. Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico is the result of said untethering.

We’ve always found the idea of exploring a single note over long stretches of time interesting and this song is that idea taken to an extreme logical conclusion. It’s an exploration of the note A in all its possible variations.

Even though this new EP is split into six parts, it is imperative you hear it as one full thing. To hear it as something that ebbs and flows, has peaks and valleys, twists and turns, and is every bit the Sugar Horse we know and love, and something complete different too.

When we describe Sugar Horse as a band that you never know what you’re going to get from them, we mean it. Yet, whatever they let escape from their mind, it always seems to work, and once again, they have crafted something brilliantly unique.

The song begins with echoing isolated vocals, giving you a sense that you’re hearing them through a wall. Then more voices join in, becoming more choral, and the atmosphere begins to build. With the thump of a drum and expanding atmosphere, the track starts to take a darker tone. Then, like mist in the morning sun, it dissipates, and soft guitar melody takes over.

The tempo begins to pick up, and you can feel this track is about to transform. Which it does, as Sugar Horse unleash a cacophony of heavy, doomy noise. The perfect reminder of just how intense this band can be.

Drink it in, as Sugar Horse now shift towards moody melody, yet from an emotively mellow and heartfelt place. The power this band holds, the way in which they can make these pieces fit together so seamlessly, will forever be stunning. Yet, this track still has so much more to offer as Sugar Horse hit groovier, post-hardcore infused territories then expand further into fuzzy, distorted, and chuggy sounds, their experimental side making this section of the track as challenging as it is exciting.

The desire to never hear this track end is strong, but end it most, and Sugar Horse go out with a cavernous and cacophonous rethread of an earlier segment, albeit sounding doomier, more atmospheric, and the vocals arriving later. It’s pure chaos at the end, and we’re all here for it.

Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico is special, but you already know this. It is Sugar Horse after all.

Sugar Horse – Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico Track Listing:

1. I – Truth
2. II – Or
3. III – Consequences
4. IV – Comma
5. V – Neu
6. VI – Mexico

Links

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