ninehertz

Grimpen Mire are back, a tape on Witch Hunter Records is the first taste I've had of them in a while but it's one that's welcome.

Pedalling a line in swampy, humid doom since 2007, they've always been crushing live and this 2-sided hunk of plastic captures that slow, plodding richness well. With five tracks spread across this analogue medium, slowing your pace of thinking helps as the sheer muddy wallow and miasmic groove takes hold. I forgot just how heavy this three-piece really were, from the rattling bass load dumped in your ears like crusty jam, to the chopping and changing pace, this is no one-trick doom pony, it's a whole field of erm, ponies. Or something similar to what that berk on The Apprentice said a few years ago. The point is, the hungry zombies in Grimpen Mire are creeping towards you, arms outstretched and it's scary good.

The metallic stomp of Cross The Rubicon gives you an extra reason to buy this, it's reminiscent of the more concise and belting Old Man Gloom album tracks, straight to the point and menacing.

On side B, the slower and more plaintive As Above, So Below comes on all Burning Witch, truly canyonesque and looming large. The vocals here take centre stage and are some of the most electrifying on the release.

Black Mass Hallucinations closes proceedings but is by far the most exploratory track on here. Navigating it's way through several different sections, it feels ritualistic and vital and is worth grabbing the tape alone.

Just when you think you've heard everything, something this good turns up to blow away the cobwebs, just wow.