Album Review: Drowning Horse - Drowning Horse

Heaviness “isn't about volume; it's about riffs,” Drowning Horse's Brendan McGrath recently let spill in an interview. Staying faithful to the cause, the first notes of Drowning Horse's debut album comprise an almighty hook that's heavier than a cloudburst of anvils. Whilst many movers within the drone-doom (or bands that play metal slooowly) genres have chased atmospheric highs by padding their sound with subtle electronics or other exotic elements, Drowning Horse – who feature numerous members with punk backgrounds – have remained faithful to the Spartan rudiments of heavy music, relying on simple ingredients and focused performances. In their world, anything that's not vital is redundant.

The decision to enlist American producer James Plotkin has reaped a grim, yet plentiful harvest, as he appears to have garnered an innate understanding of each member's strengths. Where some doomsters have favoured drum lines full of muddy, indistinctive toms which don't distract from the waves of downtuned guitar fuzz, the intensity of James Wills' slamming crash cymbals and kick drum are unchecked. Likewise, Plotkin's decision to place Kim McConchie's tortured roar fairly high in the mix pays dividends with its naturally compelling authority. For balance and tension there are quieter moments, but again simplicity is the watchword. The intro to Mountains proves that an eerie, muted riff is equally effective at slowly burning the down fuse as any organ, byzantine chant or electronic doodle.

Drowning Horse has reversed the trend of sacrificing brute power for subtlety, with a pugnacious bastard of a debut. Forget that this band is from Perth - this is a genre classic regardless of origin.