ninehertz

It has been a while since I last crossed paths with the Moonlight Cypress Archetypes label, and their description of StumpTail helps remind me of the unique position the label holds – an unthinkable blend of Southern rock, black metal, country music and drone – which seems to have been a vaguely common mixture for their roster (if not for anyone else) before.

StumpTail take that unholy combination and really ride with it. Sonder Down Yonder is a real warped trip – three tracks, two going past a quarter of an hour each, and a whole goody bag of oddities.

The first has strong Southern rock boogie sentiments from the get-go. If it weren’t for the label and knowing there’s a world of music you’d not normally expect to progress on to from that starting block, would I even stay to hear more? (Answer – no, if that’s not obvious). But as the bike rev samples interrupt the music, it changes – giving way to a vaguely black metal vocal so that it starts to turn into a regional version of Turbonegro, the guitars take over, sludge in tone but in pace and increasing darkness this becomes more of recognisably pure black metal the longer it goes. It collapses at the eleven-minute mark to be succeeded by some Sunn-ish dense doom, leaving a minute at the end for some idly twanging country guitar and the sound of crashing waves.

It is head scratching, and oddly moreish. Which is handy, as the middle track goes off on one too. After a minute of upbeat country rhythm, it gives way to yet more Sunn O))) drone paired with windchimes for the next four or so, then into what I can only describe as groove metal, like the Fantomas playing bizzarro and up-tempo sludge from the swamplands. The last five minutes then become some southern metal meets black metal hybrid. I can barely even describe the final track – a three-minute ZZ Top hoedown?

It is no worry if any description of this album comes across as like it sounds plain bad. It is the only rationale conclusion. But it is worth hearing for yourself. Even if you don’t like it, you’ll surely marvel at the mindless concoctions delivered. And there’s a small chance you’ll become worryingly fond of it all.