ninehertz

Truster have releases dating back more than a decade, but I only became aware of them from a single release earlier this year. It alone was enough to generate excitement for the subsequent album, Creeping Thing, now here.

That song, Wretch Collector, is the first track proper and is as forceful and enticing as I remember. Doom guitars with Neurosis undertones strike forth, before the vocals take it to different places, reminding me a little of a lesser-known stoner band called Solar Halos. So distinctive are they it not only moves away from any expectations but into a sound that’s specifically unlike anyone else, which is exciting.

That’s not to say comparisons don’t come to mind here or across its breadth – the overwhelming emotional sincerity of Ragana, the understated vocal power of Big|Brave and a common thread that recalls on a few occasions the heft and grace of SubRosa. It is more that they vary, never lingering on one in particular that really makes you want to lean in to the album.

There’s a visceral, tangible anger within that directs you into their blackened skied worlds, an overcast doom beauty delicately balanced. There’s a rich narrative in the lyrics too – She Who Requires Blood Remembers Them a standout in this regard, which culminates with the bleak “I don’t love anything” refrain. This morose mood nestles within its overarching doomgaze structures perfectly.

Creeping Thing is impactful, demanding your attention. It is a record that bristles and agitates, keeping you in its world due to both its musical and lyrical richness.