Since storming onto the scene with debut single Black Fire, Hundred Year Old Man have been whipping up a storm up and down the UK with their mix of Post/sludge/doom metal, coupled together with some incendiary live performances. 2018 will bring forth their debut album, however they’ve fired off a warning shot in the form of a new three track EP Rei. Kicking off proceedings with opener ‘Sun & Moon’. Starting off with some brooding ambience that crawls right under your skin, which slowly starts to build up the dynamics over the course of its six and a half minute runtime, with the added bonus of the cathartic throat shredding of Paul Broughton. The atmospheric build up displayed giving Cult of Luna a good run for their money. Follow up track ‘A Year in the North Sea’ serves more as an interlude between the previous song and follow up title track ‘Rei’, which allows some minor breathing space amongst the waves of dread, and for what’s about to come next. Third and final track ‘Rei’ is a monolith of post-sludge proportions, heavily reminiscent of bands like Neurosis. Once again starting with the doom-laden build up quickly turns into a riff-laden beast of epic proportions. With plenty of ambient flourishes that both compliment and add to the heaviness of the track, ‘Rei’ can only be described as an absolute behemoth of a track. Despite being heavy on the post/ambient side of things that leave you pining for more heavy moments like the ones displayed on the last track. Rei is a fine taster of the impending apocalypse that’s set to be Hundred Year Old Man’s debut album. A fine stand alone record on it’s own right. Do not sleep on this band. Score: 8/10
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Twitter: @HYOMBand
