A proper crushing doom work is like nothing else out there. Creations like that are almost always epic in scope, immensely satisfying in the most uncompromising ways, absolutely devastating in every sense, and a real achievement because everyone knows it’s something that demands true finesse and talent in order to wield properly. When I first heard Subterraen at the beginning of the year off of their label’s sampler, I had a gut feeling that these guys were going to deliver something very interesting at the very least. Fast forward several months later, and it’s with the encroaching release of this work getting tantalizingly closer, it needs to be said that Subterraen has made something no short of staggering.
Instantly after looking at the tracklist for this album, it was a smile that crawled right across my face because I knew that we were in for four epic tracks of sludgy doom drawn out to masterful extent with an equal amount of talent to be had in every moment of this immensely crushing effort. I was only mostly right though, with “Rotten Human Kingdom” having just three tracks of sludgy glory with the third being an incredibly tasteful interlude that really gives the listener perspective for what’s happened, what’s to come, and the ever-present theme that’s more troubling than ever. It’s throughout the entire near-50-minute runtime that Subterraen delivers what can only be considered a massive work of its kind that’s not to be forgotten, skipped over, or underestimated by anyone in the sludge-doom world as it’s in every possible ounce of “Rotten Human Kingdom” that Subterraen not only goes for the throat, but these French men seek to teach, warn, and advise through their immense riffage and undeniable heaviness with it all being balanced so amazingly well. When the flame of this work starts to simmer as it draws to a close, everything that had happened throughout the four tracks comes rushing back and you’re filled with their renewing sensation that is no less than thrilling to experience, and that only leaves you with another sensation that leaves you scrambling to listen to this massive album all over again. Subterraen shows an overwhelmingly clear understanding for their craft in ways that many of their contemporaries could only ever hope to achieve, and that makes “Rotten Human Kingdom” stand above the rest even more to increasingly make this something that I absolutely cannot help but wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wanting to find an album that’s worth their time for Subterraen has created a work that’s much more than worth it.
It’s not terribly often that I find myself calling an album an essential listen of its style at any given point, but I’m incredibly compelled to say that with “Rotten Human Kingdom” simply because everything necessary to call this a great album is there, and it truly demands your attention in so many ways. I had confidence in Subterraen before diving into this work, but it’s now after listening to this massive opus for hours that it’s clear to me that Subterraen is an act far greater than what I had been anticipating for months.
“Rotten Human Kingdom” releases on November 20th via Transcending Obscurity Records!
LISTENÂ to an advanced track from “Rotten Human Kingdom” on Bandcamp here, or via YouTube below.
LIKEÂ Subterraen on Facebook here.
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