Some bands don’t chase trends, scenes or hype cycles – they simply exist, immovable, heavy as gravity itself. Slomatics are one of those bands. For more than two decades, the Belfast trio have been carving their own orbit through the doom universe, and Atomicult, their eighth studio album, feels like another perfectly calculated rotation around a massive, glowing core. For me, Slomatics stand firmly among the very best doom bands out there – no debate.
With Atomicult, releases by Majestic Mountain Records, Slomatics once again fling open the airlock to their unmistakable world of sludge, doom, psychedelia and space rock. Opener “Obey Capricorn” sets the coordinates immediately: ultra-low riffs, slow-moving tectonic pressure and a post-apocalyptic mood, enhanced by eerie synths hovering somewhere between fuzz-laden sci-fi soundtrack and late-70s spacerock. It’s crushing, but never blunt – heaviness with intent.
One of Slomatics’ greatest strengths is their mastery of restraint. The riffs are simple yet devastating, the bass throbs like an overheating reactor, and Marty Harvey’s unmistakable vocals float above it all – clear, melodic, and instantly recognizable. “Auto-Skull” is a prime example: a nagging, addictive hook, followed by a mid-song liftoff straight into deep-space psychedelia. These are the moments you live for as a listener.
Yet Atomicult is far from one-dimensional. “Relics” drifts into dark, ethereal territory, revealing the band’s talent for moody, otherworldly balladry. In contrast, “Night Grief” and “Chrome Sisters” tear reality apart with Sabbath-sized proto-doom riffs and fuzz-drenched stomp. “Physical Witching” tightens the noose slowly and mercilessly, while “To Ultramegaphonium” merges monumental doom with flashes of classic heavy rock grandeur.
Despite its stylistic breadth, the album remains compact and focused. James Plotkin’s mastering gives Atomicult a sound that’s dense, filthy and powerful, yet surprisingly clear. No excess, no wasted motion – every riff lands, every groove locks in.
Atomicult is doom in all its dimensions – hypnotic, cosmic, heavy and unmistakably Slomatics. Their musical identity is rock-solid, instantly recognizable, and stronger than ever. This album doesn’t just reinforce their place in the doom cosmos – it expands it.
-Helge Neumann
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