ninehertz

By Ways Unknown is an incredibly ambitious debut from Manchester’s Oolith. Produced by Chris Fielding (of Conan and Agent of the Morai past), the band aim for the skies on their first try. Even when it doesn’t quite succeed you can’t help but marvel at their moxie.

There are just four tracks here, but shared across more than 40 minutes, for this is grand music of epic, progressive doom and post-metal. Right from the beginning they get busy erecting these elaborate structures, taking their time to allow attention to detail. There are hints of the prog-psych doom of Elder and Haast’s Eagled, but perhaps most of all there’s an overarching influence of Yob seemingly ingrained within.

That deliberateness can sometimes stretch a little too thin, testing the patience, and on Fortress I find myself distracted altogether. But that track aside I’m fully invested. It is constantly explorative, moving with intent but no rush into subtle changes, such as on Atrocity Relic’s melodic, gothic overcast mood, and euphoric rise near its end which has me thinking of post-metal, doomgaze and Hidden Mothers all at the same time.

For a debut, this is marvellous, and its occasional slight flaws totally baked in and understood – the pay-off for such ambition. It’s a fascinating listen and marks a band to follow with interest.