UK-based noise/stoner rock trio Hey Colossus first emerged back in 2004 with their debut album on Jonson Family Hey Colossus Hates You and this latest 500 copy only split vinyl release on Riot Season’s new sister label Black Labs sees them teaming up with fellow UK bloodyminded newcomers Dethscalator. On the A-side, Hey Colossus open up proceedings with ‘Eyes For An Eye / Unlive Wire / Ain’t No Love In The Mallet’, three tracks that seamlessly segue into one 21 minute long piece that traverses its way from unintelligible background vocal murmurs and delayed-out electronic flutters into a chugging, downtuned and doom-laden stoner rock midsection, before eventually emerging out the other side into a cacaphonous wash of roaring looped feedback and distorted screaming. The overall effect generated is not totally dissimilar to Black Dice’s effects pedal-driven wall of noise attack, but over on the flipside Dethscalator manage to take things out on a completely different trajectory with their five tracks. Juddering, overdriven offerings such as ‘A Festival Of Sticks’ and ‘You Know Nothing About Cars Or Martial Arts’ see Dethscalator welding sludge-heavy, monotonous metal guitar riffs with clattering tribal drums and distorted yelped vocals, the resulting unhinged atmosphere calling to mind some twisted fusion between ‘Locust Abortion Technician’-era Butthole Surfers and The Melvins. While there’s perhaps little here in the way of surprises, those looking to batter their speaker cones with sludgy yet cathartic unrelenting noise should find this well worth seeking out.
Chris Downton
