I can understand why Belgian top-label Consouling Sounds signed Swedish act Snailking, for this trio’s efforts are very much in the vein of what Consouling Sounds stand for: performing extremely heavy and sludgy Doom-stuff with a gloomy basement. The band proved their worthiness in mean time through means of Samsara, their critically acclaimed debut EP. But now Frans Levin (b), Karl Jonas Wijk (d; I am not sure, but I guess he took care of the production once again), and Pontus Ottosson (g, v) strike back with the Snailking debut-full length Storm, a five-tracker that lasts for almost fifty five minutes.
I did mention a lot in the former paragraph with ‘performing extremely heavy and sludgy Doom-stuff with a gloomy basement’, because that is the core of Snailking’s approach. I think it’s great, and written + performed with persuasion, joy and professionalism, but haven’t we heard it so many times before lately? Ufomammut, Ramesses, Yob, Conan, Unearthly Trance, Huata, Tombstones, Electric Wizard, Sleep / Om, or Serpentine Path; it isn’t but an idea of what this band’s stoner-laden Doom / Sludge stands for. There’s some variation, though little limited, but barely something distinctive, and since there is quite some fabulous material lately within the Doom / Sludge / Stoner scene nowadays… You understand where I am going to, I think.
One thing about the vocals: totally misty within this massive über-power-violence of guitars. A shame, because way too undermined, I think.