ninehertz

This must surely be the first Alaskan band featured on this site in the 23 years we’ve been operating, which is quite something. silt. are “carved from the glaciers of the Matanuska Valley” but beyond that little else is known. We happened across this three track debut demo and we’re rather glad we did.

The song titles are simply numbered but in reverse order as if in a countdown. III starts well, assuring those dropping in we’re in safe doom territories – in a homely space despite coming to us from across the world. A droning doom guitar is taken to darker places by harsh, barking vocals, within a basic approach that applies a raw, bristling energy, not uncommon for doom duos or trios (silt. being the latter).

There’s an almost occult-doom feel to II, without going full Electric Wizard worship like so many others, which is a relief, instead lurching into dread-filled hanging notes and edging towards sludge. I has more pace to it, with a stoner rock buzz that is somewhat countered by a drop in tone and the aggro in the vocal delivery. It still persists nicely, the reduced pace ending particularly gratifying.

It is a little too raw around its edges, even for sludgy doom, but it’s a debut, a demo essentially and we therefore allow for room for such, especially for a band that displays a tonne of promise.