Review: Oolith ‘By Ways Unknown’
I first became aware of Manchester’s melodic doomsters Oolith when I saw them supporting the mighty Froglord and Warlockhunt last November at The Saddle in Chester. The performance that evening just happened to be their first one, and after a bit of a chat with them afterwards, their debut album has found its way to Shaman HQ.
The four piece play their own brand of slow, emotional, down-turned heaviness with heaps of melancholy that take you on not just one, but several journeys within the same song. The four-track album begins with Small Boats and instantly explodes into life, with Tom Parkin (vocals/rhythm guitar) and Mike Kelly (lead guitar/drone synth) locked in a battle. It’s a weighty track to begin with, just short of eleven minutes long, with subtle drum moments from Katy Brown, who also adds a few screams across the album. The quieter moments are expressive, solemn, some might say depressing, but it kneads the opener together exceptionally well.
Building on the first track is the even longer Atrocity Relic, which stretches over twelve minutes and isn’t cruel but in parts does feel like a violent act upon your ears. I sense this is akin to several songs wrapped up in one, as the journey is soft and gentle at the start, before it sparks into life. Halfway through, the dramatic soundscapes return, all moody and poignant, with an emotive vocal from Parkin over the delicate melody.
slow, emotional, down turned heaviness with heaps of melancholy that take you on not just one, but several journeys…
You might feel emotionally exhausted after the first two tracks, so the next one is shorter, at only nine minutes, but it’s like a slab being dropped on your soul. It’s powerful, even more so with the huge bass notes from Charlotte Prescott cascading over the rhythm. The vocals will pull on your heartstrings as they feel strained and haunting; however, they lead the song through the turmoil impressively. Fans of YOB and Pallbearer will take lots out of this as the quartet hit the right notes in the middle third that will certainly get heads banging.
Their final number, This Earth Alone, follows a now familiar pattern with the drums getting a bit more of a pounding at the start. Doom can sometimes be a bit ‘ploddy’, but all four songs have enough about them to keep you interested. The solo is excellent and combines well with the underlying riff that accompanies it. They revert to a mournful sound with slight cymbals and low-end bass notes, which all adds to its sorrowful nature. It slowly builds up as the tempo increases with each note, in the way that only doom bands can, before another solo bursts out. As debut albums go, this is impressive stuff and something for Oolith to build upon.
Label: Independent
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
