Review: Sandbreaker – “Sandbreaker EP”
The self-titled “Sandbreaker EP” is the debut release by the Polish metallers of the same name, comprising of 4 doom-laden tracks. I’ve given this a fair few listens already and must admit, Mr Teeth Reviews is rather liking it.
The artwork depicts some sort of futuristic submarine crashing into the pyramids of Egypt, as camels run for their lives. Meanwhile, the biography for Sandbreaker simply reads “Suddenly, the band came out of nowhere. Without warning, as a storm comes out of nowhere”.
As you can imagine then, stoner desert rock features heavily on the Sandbreaker EP. None more so than opening track “Season of the Plow”. It contains a riff that could quite easily have been written by a number of other bands over the years. Which in fact plays in the bands’ favour, making the release engaging from the opening note, however, it’s the death metal vocals that give Sandbreaker added dimension. Closely followed by the EP’s only guitar solo.
Sandbreaker EP – Out Now
You know pretty much what you’re getting before you’ve reached the 2nd track “Wormsign” and given there’s no real deviation, a total of 4 tunes is just about right. Although having said that, “Spice Harvester” shows how even slower riffs can be just as punishing.
The production has a lot to answer for too, this is as much about creating atmospherics as it is heaviness. In particular on the interchanging “Eternal Heat”, the minimal guitars are left to rumble as the bassline becomes the more dominant feature.
Vocals are sparse, reverberating as the song starts to take shape. It’s the one tune on the EP that keeps you on edge, uncertain as to which direction it’s going to turn. The EP then trails off with additional effects on the guitar, leaving you slightly lost in the aforementioned desert.
However it’s not a mirage, the Sandreaker EP definitely happened and is out now via Defense Records and Mythrone Promotions.
