
Info
- Band(s): Slough of Despair
- Label(s): Chaos Records, Personal Records, Read My Feast Records
- Release Format(s): Cassette, CD
- Release Year: 2020
- Review Date: January 27, 2023
- Author(s): Marksson
Athens Death/Doom Metal trio Slough of Despair unleashed their debut album ‘Catacombs of Terror’ back in 2020 on a Cassette release by fellow Athenian label Read My Feast Records. The mighty Chaos Records then picked the album up in 2021 for a further CD edition alongside Personal Records. Featuring six tracks, the album focuses on the fragility of the human psyche and of humanity in general, as well as the odd slice of macabre horror thrown in for good measure.
All six tracks follow a very similar template; slow to mid paced, all very methodical in approach with a style of riffs that sounds like pistons chugging along doing what they do best, and always dark. You could call the bands temp pedestrian, or plodding, but in truth it suits their work well and with the sparing use of subtle, calming synth tones mixed with the bands core sound of calculating guitar melody, the atmosphere created is one of eerie calm, brooding insufferable gloom, and bleak thought processes.
Whilst ‘Catacombs of Terror’ isn’t a rip-roaring bout of aggression and energy, it does have its charms; those being an almost oppressive, claustrophobic air, and a high level of musicianship. I enjoyed the album but would call it workmanlike rather than spectacular, as it feels like something I’d have on whilst I read, rather than an album to get my pulse soaring.
Slough of Despair
- Country: Greece
- Style: Death Metal, Doom Metal
- Links: Facebook, Bandcamp
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Personal Records
- Country: Mexico
- Style: Death Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Other
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Youtube
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Read My Feast Records
- Country: Greece
- Style: Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook