Brunt – Ataraxy (New Full Album) You’ll definitely feel the full force of this Guernsey trio. The absence of a vocalist draws your attention to their hypnotic experimental music which ebbs and flows like a strong swamp tide.The music is lead by classic stoner rock riffs, dripping with thick overdrive to create a sludgy fuzzy bluesy sound backed by the solid doom drums/bass grooves of the Mariess brothers. The record opens with The Grauballe Man that is, right away, noticeably more atmospheric than the band’s past efforts with the bass, drums and guitar gradually growing into something that is all encompassing and enveloping to the listener. Three years on from the release of three track EP ‘Blackbeard’ comes their latest offering, the enigmatically titled ‘Ataraxy’.
At only four tracks it’s tempting to refer to this as an EP too but, as it clocks in at the best part of half an hour, longer than quite a few full albums I own, it really is an album in its own right. Light Of The Mire then builds on this as Brunt create a sound that may be the closest I’ve ever felt to music taking over all other senses in a way that, I can only imagine, is somehow the sonic equivalent of a sensory deprivation chamber. The title track is something of a departure with, amongst other things, rav drum, shruti box, flute and tambourine added to the power trio line up. This brings a hypnotic and meditative feel to proceedings and while, at only four minutes, it feels like an interlude in context, it is also an interesting change of direction for the band and really a track in its own right too.
Black Smoke then rounds off the set, completing the sonic journey of the record as a whole but presenting its own separate tale too. After the more atmospheric early parts of the album this is built upon here being, as it goes on, being the most psychedelic track on the record before upping the heaviness into truly doomy directions. Ataraxy then sees Brunt sounding the most rounded they have to date while the production balances a clarity that allows the instruments to cut through in their own right but with enough fuzziness to fit the band’s established sound. On top of this the whole thing feels truly organic as it grows and develops with Squirrel’s fluid drumming being the notable and impressive foundation of it all as Ave Thompson’s guitar and Elliott Mariess’ bass share rhythm and lead duties as necessary.
Review by tommygirard https://tommygirard.wordpress.com/2019/11/26/brunt-ataraxy/
1. The Grauballe Man
2. Light Of The Mire
3. Ataraxy
4. Black Smoke
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