French four-piece Mudbath, aside from an EP released back in 2012, are relatively unheard of. Debut LP ‘Corrado Zeller’comprises 36 minutes, spanning three tracks; however, most important of all about this record is that it was mastered at Boiler Room by Collin Jordan, responsible for mixing records for the likes of Eyehategod, Cough and Bongripper. It comes as no surprise then that Mudbath’s sound encompasses elements from all three of these acts, mixing together doom and sludge with a healthy dose of (slowed down) hardcore.
Fans of Thou will find themselves falling head over heels in love with this record, as each colossal length track unfolds layers of raw intensity and anguish, topped off with grizzly, yet diverse vocals. It’s Mudbath’s ability to incorporate so much variation into their music that makes them truly special; fuzzy distortion, heavy psychedelia and hateful, harrowing atmospherics are shoehorned in by the bucket load, without making the songs feel too busy or disjointed.
This is a slow, burgeoning assault that, in places, sounds utterly malevolent. Although a certain amount of credit goes to Collin Jordan, who has done an incredible job of mastering this, huge praise has to be handed to the band for making such an astonishing effort on their first album. These three songs are sure to please the ears of the misanthropic masses and shove Mudbath into the spotlight, as one of 2015’s doom/sludge sweethearts.
(8/10 Angela Davey)
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