Who Grows There?

Count Absurdo - Night of the Living Soil EP (2014)

Count Absurdo are a new trio hailing from Finland, and on their debut EP, they bring three tracks of heavy doom rock to life with flair and a good jolt of juice.  One of the things setting them apart from similar acts is their willingness to resurrect the falsetto shriek from the '80s, throwing it out over the blaring of the guitar and bass as just another piece of their tooth-gnashing ensemble (though it's most heavily-used in the opening track, "Welcome to the Mansion").  Track two, "Countess Absurdo", is a relatively restrained trek through big bass riffs and punchy drums, though the guitarist gets to go wild in a shredding exit that covers a good stretch of the song.  Last of all, "From Dusk Till Doom" extends its duration across 9+ minutes of exploring a slow-moving doom riff, spicing it up with flourishes and making regular use of the title as a chanted chorus before the track mutates into a psychedelic groove.
The three songs make for a very respectable introduction for the band, showing off a variety of skills, a playfulness with the conventions of a genre that can easily take itself too seriously, and some really ripping skills on their instruments.  Whether or not they retain the high-pitched vocal attacks, this is a band certainly worth your time to check out now, before they land a few festival gigs and explode in popularity.  They've got the talent, energy, and enthusiasm to make it work, so it's up to you to give them an ear.
~ Gabriel

For Fans Of;    DoomLord, Saint Vitus, Below, Genocide (Japan), Pilgrim

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Count Absurdo - Countess Absurdo (320 kbps)

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