Conan vs. Slomatics

Let's just say that I'm really stoked I bought Conan's Horseback Battle Hammer and this vinyl as a curio way back in the day. Found this recently which was pretty fantastic as I didn't realize I had it, and let's just say that having that cover art in a vinyl sized bit of artwork is worth everyone's time. The music doesn't totally live up to it, but it's still a very, very nice bit of slow as hell stonery stuff.

Conan's side is typically spectacular and the main reason I bought this split. Nothing here is too different from those who've heard Monnos or HBH- that is, a universe sized, ridiculous guitar tone in which the rest of the music is in total servitude of. In that sense you could almost label this as drone-based music, it's so tone based. It's got to be said that there's a bit more depth to Conan then you'd think, mind; the way Retaliator builds into it's epic battle call and then slows right the fuck down suggests a band that knows a lot more than you might originally give them credit for. It's a simple sound, but the drummer is clearly really bloody good and the vocals fit the epic mythology described in the lyrics perfectly. Full marks!

Except- except- for that fucken stupid "I shouldn't have had that last fucking spliff" sample at the end of Older than Earth. You've constructed this righteously awesome warrior-on-a-giant-snail soundscape, there's this grand sound of humongous riffs, triumphant, warrior-chantish vocals (with great lyrics) and a glorious, all pervading tone.. so why ruin it with that? Yeah cool man, you guys were/are stoned. We already know that. It's not interesting.

Moving on. I should just edit the mp3 and get rid of it. Anyway, so Conan's typically planet-levelling effort would be a hell of an act to follow up on. It's a bit of a laugh how Slomatic's bruising "Lose the Five" would in most instances be considered a crusher of a track, but the guitar comes off as quite wimpy first off. In reality though it's a damn good track, and so are the others that follow it. I like how both of these bands are certainly in the same niche of music as each other, but the differences in sound are really big. Slomatics are less vocal-based (which is to say, they're hardly existent), cruise up the neck fairly often for lead times both groovy and atmospheric, and all in all have far less of a getting-run-over-by-a-fuzzy-bus feeling going. Make no mistake, this is still pretty bruising stuff- Black Blizzard has a massive main riff- but it's not quite the force of nature that Conan manages. It's still got that Sabbath influence in there somewhere. Nonetheless, it's still a damn good collection of tunes. Heavy as hell, recorded well and managing to crush without also plodding too much, which is hard to do.

This is a great split, basically. Three very good songs from both bands, a deliberate (as far as I can tell) attempt at levity- you're left wanting a lot more after this split ends, which is intended as a huge, huge compliment- and some of the finest cover art ever. Worth buying for the cover art and an absolute must if you're a stoner doom fan.