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Emerging from the creative hotbed of Brighton, England SLUNG is the latest band to climb on board the UK heavy psych express, which (to continue an already crumbling metaphor) is a train that is constantly evolving and expanding on its journey to God knows where. Whether you’re a fan of the grimy, doomy nastiness of SWAMP COFFIN, the soaring stoner metal of SERGEANT THUNDERHOOF, the weighty prog of DVNE or the happy psychedelia of BOSS KELOID, there is something in the buffet car (help!) for everyone to enjoy. But which carriage will you find SLUNG hanging out in? Well, let’s step off the train (please) to stretch our legs and have a listen.
The band certainly cite a broad range of musical influences, from DEFTONES and BARONESS to QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and even a sprinkling of FLEETWOOD MAC and CHAPPELL ROAN so you’d be right to expect an eclectic mix of styles on their debut album In Ways. Hypnotic opener Laughter certainly meets those expectations, built as it is around a hypnotic combination of fuzz-fuelled riffs and a staccato drum and bass groove underpinning the whole thing as it drives ever onwards. Immediately apparent, too, are the vocal talents of frontwoman Katie Prince, whose delivery here is equal parts breathy menace and furious screams.
The lyrical hook of the chorus in particular stands out, dealing as it does with the tensions that come with trying to grow up in an emotionally distant family environment: “So you’re never gonna stop the laughter and you’re never gonna put up a fight, if blood is thicker than water then I know what’s flowing tonight.” Elsewhere, the lyrics explore a whole range of fascinating and unusual ideas not usually associated with this genre, whether discussing the power dynamics between sex workers and their clients on the wonderfully titled Class A Cherry or the frequently tragic occurrences of bull fights in Spain on Matador.
After the blistering opening, SLUNG take their collective foot off the pedal, delivering two tracks of bluesier, more laid back rock with Prince’s vocal delivery and the grungey, twisting riffs of guitarist Ali Johnson still adding an undercurrent of something sinister on Class A Cherry and Come Apart, the latter sounding almost like it could have been a bonus track on ALICE IN CHAINS’ seminal Dirt album, particularly when Prince’s voice soars into the stratosphere in the song’s coda.
SLUNG is essentially the brainchild of bassist Vlad Matveikov and, after initially meeting Prince in 2009 it’s safe to say the band’s debut has been a long time coming. After writing and recording demos with a whole range of musicians, the band only settled on its current lineup (completed by Ravi Martin putting in an excellent performance on the drums) fairly recently and set about working through years of material to put together In Ways. That long gestation period does mean that in places some of the songs either sound a little dated (the mid-paced 90s rock of Collider) or just a little too different from each other to fit together seamlessly on the same record (the brighter, poppier moments on Limassol).
However, with moments of real innovation, great production and an absolute ton of talent and creativity oozing from every performance, In Ways stands as an excellent first offering from a band that have instantly made themselves one to watch.
Rating: 7/10
In Ways is out now via Fat Dracula.
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The post ALBUM REVIEW: In Ways – Slung appeared first on Distorted Sound Magazine.
