Album Review: Tooms – Karst (Road to Masochist / Cursed Monk Records / Fiadh Productions)

Tooms, the Irish progressive sludge metal, are back with their brand-new album, ‘Karst’. Out May 29th on CD by Road to Masochist, vinyl by Cursed Monk Records, cassette by Fiadh Productions and on all major digital platforms.

A phenomenal step up in all departments, the evolution of Tooms will be clear to all who spend time with this record. Not only sounding more comfortable, but braver when it comes to experimentation. This is undeniably their most expressive and expansive release, delighting all who worship at the altar of progressive metal and sludgy noise.

It begins with a heavy one. Good f**king god, does the opening of Blood Rust – of Cudgel and Quill hit hard, and it just gets better from there. Dropping thick riffs, groovy hooks, and filth-encrusted savagery across five-ish minutes. Yet, the devil is in the detail, and this track is the first clue that this is an album filled with wicked touches.

Take a breath and fan yourself down, Lowlander is next and this is where Tooms flex their progressive muscles a bit more. Showing off just how ripped they’re sounding these days. Patience is key here, but the payoff is worth it, especially if you like bands like Mastodon. It’s not the only time that Tooms will pay tribute to the bands that have influenced them either.

Tower of Silence’s ambient start creates an exciting level of discomfort and tension, so when things do flareup, it’s almost a relief. The vocals in this one are immense, but the moments where the pace quickens are some of my favourites. This is a beast of a track, but as it goes on, it develops in really exciting ways.

The first intermission, the melodic Blue Angel is next, and it serves a potent purpose as its serious tone contrasts nicely with the groove-infused mania of Drinkvlt, a track to let loose too. Proof that Tooms took plenty of care when it came to positioning tracks so as to get the flow just right. Which is why a track like Two Silver Pieces has such an effect. Well, that and the fact it’s a cool piece of music that conjures up images of dusty trails, setting suns, and wild frontiers. Albeit with a fun psychedelic twist and jam-session feel.

I dig it, but I dig the hell out of this record overall. I’ve enjoyed a lot of what Tooms have done in the past, but I don’t think I’ve been this immersed and interested to date. Karst is their ‘magnum opus’ and as far as I’m concerned, the latter part of the record proves it unequivocally.

First, with the elaborate Whitethorn and its marching rhythms, thrash-style bursts, and noise-laden tempo drops. Then with the dramatic A Release of Tension, which serves to break the former and latter tracks apart in moody fashion. Leading to the staggering finale of Physics Beyond the Standard Model. What to say about this track? Take everything heard so far, every feeling felt and wrap it up in something akin to an epic. A Tooms epic that sees the band push themselves to new progressive heights, expanding on their creative abilities, and showing the world just how far they’ve come.

You’ll be a fool to miss out on hearing this album. This is the moment when the rest of the world starts paying attention to this band.

Tooms – Karst Track Listing:

1. Blood Rust – of Cudgel and Quill
2. Lowlander
3. Tower of Silence
4. Blue Angel
5. Drinkvlt
6. Two Silver Pieces
7. Whitethorn
8. A Release of Tension
9. Physics Beyond the Standard Model

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Road to Masochist | Cursed Monk Records | Fiadh Productions