Album Review: Cyttorak - Underdark Invasion From Beyond The Shadow Of The Warp 8.9 (Sludge)

Cyttorak
Underdark Invasion From Beyond The Shadow Of the Warp
Blackened Sludge Stoner Doom
Rhode Island, USA
Tor Johnson Records
May 24, 2019
8.9/10

Man, this album is heavy slick with blackened sludge. It’s fucking nasty. This is the true cosmic terror, most science fiction themed metal bands go the prog kind of stoner route or death metal. Cyttorak goes for a way more abrasive and destructive take on the theme, the true cosmic horror and soul crushing truths. The psychedelic melody comes in the shape of fuzzy ass feedback that work beautifully in the muddy mixing and primal performance. I was very happy to get this one on tape.

This EP feels like a fucking LP with how fat the experience is, there’s such a dark and mystical element to it while still maintaining the posture of the most guttural punk and hardcore stylings. It’s thick with theme that is vague enough to let my imagination run wild with esoteric rituals and conspiracies that occur far from the grassy flesh of a planet, instead leaving the listener to the mercy of the cosmos and it’s infinite monstrosities and perhaps heros. The bass is insane and feels like a living things crawling through the tracks. It’s a trip. There is only bass in fact, two of them and no guitar.

Vocally it’s very deep growls and churns like Neurosis but they also add in these vocals that I love and can only describe as being close to OI shouts but with the distortion expected from this noisey trio. I love the accent of those moments and they mesh so well with this style of stoner sludge. It’s different from anything I’ve heard recently. Instrumentally it’s so dark and so bleak but while keeping a groove and level of complexity. They really know how to play into the lofi mixing and how to manipulate the various feedbacks just right.

Overall I highly enjoyed this release and the ideas behind it. I’m glad to have found another great instagram cover artist as well, make sure to follow them.

I think this will quench anyones thirst, if abysmal eternal darkness is your drink of choice. A must hear for fans of Sunrot and Body Void.

8.9/10