UMUR
"Moss Contamination" is the second EP release by UK death metal act Slimelord. The EP was independently released in September 2021. It follows the release of Slimelord´s debut EP "The Delta Death Sirens" from June 2019. The material was written between 2019-2020 and recorded, mixed and mastered at BOOM, Leeds in 2020. "Moss Contamination" features a heavy, raw, and detailed sounding production, which suits the material well.
Stylistically the material on "Moss Contamination" is a continuation of the abstract and cavernous death-doom metal style of the previous EP (it´s not doomy all the time though, and Slimelord also play both mid-paced and faster death metal parts), but Slimelord have used the years between the two releases to refine their songwriting and hone their playing skills, and there is a noticeable lift in quality since the first EP. The atmosphere is gloomy and filthy, while the riffs and rhythms have an ultra heavy dragging quality to them, creating crushingly heavy grooves and an oppressive atmosphere. The lead work on "Moss Contamination" is really something else and is a huge contributing factor to the dark and morbid atmospheres of the EP. The vocals are abysmal deep growling placed low in the mix, and while they get the job done, the vocals are probably the weakest link of the music.
One of the great assets of the EP is the creative songwriting. Slimelord keep coming up with interesting songwriting ideas and "Moss Contamination" is as a result and intriguing and entertaining release all the way during the 5 tracks, 26:57 minutes long playing time. Sometimes I´m reminded of Disembowelment, although Slimelord aren´t quite as funeral death-doom slow, but there is something about the atmosphere which Slimelord create, that leads my thoughts toward the Australians and their groundbreaking 1993 "Transcendence into the Peripheral" album. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
