SLOWCUT, the post metal quintet hailing from Magandjin/Brisbane, return with their first new music since their 2023 debut. Their latest offering, Flesh, is a two-track, 19-minute EP which certainly deepens and distills their signature cold, atmospheric sludge.
The impressive, ten-minute closing track, martyred, stands out for initially creating an unforeseen sense of calm before plunging into increasingly dense and punishing instrumentation. Jeremy Wittkopp’s searing vocals and evocative lyrics conjure vivid, visceral imagery as the overarching heaviness intensifies relentlessly.
martyred is a cruel and harrowing reflection on innocence shattered by violence; particularly violence against children. Grotesque yet poetic imagery blurs the boundary between fragile life and brutal death. The track speaks of lives silenced before they knew love or understanding. In an enveloping visual mourning shaped by grief and remembrance, the trauma unfolds into a past existence.
Again, the band has taken a completely DIY approach to the release. Guitarist Ben Gibson once again leads production duties, handling recording, mixing, and mastering at his own Gasworks Recording Studio, while the band self-released and pressed the record independently.
ZR