Orca Wolf Records are responsible for this split LP between California’s Amarok and Pyramido hailing from Malmö, Sweden. The doom sludge bands teaming up here is another suitable pairing for a bleak and pummelling listen, Amarok offering up one 14 minute dirge in the shape of Deserted and Pyramido have two slabs of corrosion of their own.
Amarok / Pyramido Split by Amarok / Pyramido
Deserted is a lecherous slow dirge from Amarok that trudges along in agony for 14 minutes. The chunky guitar tone opens things first, moving at a leisurely pace initially, almost hypnotically, until the guttural bellowing vocals disrupt the air. After five minutes, we stumble onto the track’s shift in tone as haunting lead guitars take control and if it was even possible, things becoming more despairing.
Meanwhile, Pyramido are a little pacier, erupting with caustic rage on Remembrance of Things Past, wasting absolutely no time. The sludgy riffs are unabashedly Eyehategod loving and that’s no bad thing. The vocals are steeped in bile and, along with the riffing, despite the devastation are actually quite catchy.
Gallows slows things down a little bit at first but not too long as the band crawl back into familiar territory soon after to deliver a devastating blow of sludge to the temple. It’s not quite as powerful a slab of aggression as Remembrance of Things Past but certainly still packs a punch.
While Amarok writhe in the hopeless abyss, Pyramido feel more at home rustling up a heady firestorm. Either way, the results are pummelling and altogether impressive from both sides. This split LP, which is available from Orca Wolf Records, is a heady chunk of deathly sludge that’s quite complementary. Get on it.
