ninehertz

If you’re into stoner or doom and live in the UK, you’ll be aware of the incredible work undertaken by Tonehenge for our underground scene. After the sad closure of The Bridge Inn pub/venue in Rotherham, rather than looking for an easy option retirement or replacement venue, attentions were set to something much grander – a series of one- or two-day festivals across the breadth of the country, from Aberdeen to Kent. They are great days for the punters and have given exposure to countless bands.

You may also know that these heroes have been in plenty of bands – Laurie in Bodach and others, Kev in several including Pilgrim Fathers, an excellent band from “back in the day” who played a ninehertz gig or two back when we used to do our own live promotions. Total Loss is their new venture, the duo heading into slightly unexpected musical areas considering their backgrounds.

Apparition is just two songs long but makes a hell of an impression through an unholy alliance between atmospheric black metal, noise-rock and shoegaze. You can hear the atmospheric- post- blackgaze (presumably there’s subtle variance between these pre or suffixes, but they’re lost on me) in the first few seconds of Hippie Killer, remaining until it drives out from there into something more visceral, more aligned to noise-rock, perhaps even into the neighbourhoods of sludge. It is a fantastic transition and gives them an unpredictability that makes you sit up and really pay attention. It comes back heavier, in doom, before one final dip into the dramatic and uplifting shimmering blackened guitars of the opening.

It is a wonderful introduction to a new band. Leave the Stones’s gentle beginning and earnestly sung vocals signify another approach. It inevitably twists towards a darker outlook, through the vocals at least, whilst retaining an almost post-rock or even shoegaze light touch present through the instrumentation throughout.

This is only two songs long, but it feels like Total Loss making a pitch for all they are capable of, mandating our attention now and for where they go from here.