Slow Bloom - Self-Titled

I know I don't normally do posts on individual albums like this, but I just had to make an exception for the phenomenal new Slow Bloom album. For one, the band has been a friend of the blog's for a while now. I reviewed their debut EP a few years back, which you can check out here, and was completely blown away by this band back then. Fast forward to the present day, and they're back and even better than before. They've gone through a few line-up changes, re-recorded the three songs on their EP, and wrote another three entirely new songs to create this new self-titled album we've got here.

In 20 minutes, Slow Bloom brings a refreshing energy to a familiar sound. Fans of the classics At The Drive-In and Nirvana will find a pleasant surprise here, mixed in with the noisy, raw, and visceral post-punk of modern bands such as Self Defense Family and Creative Adult. Slow Bloom blast through six songs of shouted vocals and twisting, distorted guitars that give these songs such a fury rarely heard on an actual studio recording. The production is phenomenal, it's got the raw energy of a live recording with the polished mix of a studio recording. If you can't already tell, what's so compelling about this band is that word that keeps coming up, ENERGY. It's pulsating, it's exciting, and it's intense. It's everything a punk/hardcore band should be, tied in with some amazing musicianship and very distinct and memorable songs to boot. From the manic chorus of "Teeth Marks" to the "Drain You"-esque noise bridge of "Vermiforms" to the wah-laden guitar solo of "Obscura Vision", Slow Bloom are an incredible band that I cannot recommend enough. This EP is one of the best you'll hear all year, so don't sleep on it.

Check it out on their Spotify or their Bandcamp (link is below). Enjoy.

Slow Bloom (2016)

1. Teeth Marks

2. Final Heaven

3. Vermiforms

4. Phantom Tantrum

5. Obscura Vision

6. Deep Space

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