TOWERING MASS - Unto the Swamp Everlasting

Erupting from Melbourne, Towering Mass is a death doom project headed by Gord Brown. While the traditional elements of death metal and doom remain, Towering Mass takes a somewhat atypical approach, combining musical inspiration from Immolation, ImperialTriumphant, Hooded Menace, and jazz while thematically exploring the chaos and cement-clad darkness of the urban environment. In fact, the EP’s title alludes to the Swamp Everlasting, the City of Melbourne’s official floral emblem. With this unique combination in tow, Unto the Swamp Everlasting takes the listener on one hell of an adventure.

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‘Over the River on Funeral Banners’ begins heavy and slow, as most death doom tracks do, setting the listener up with a wonderfully grim atmosphere before switching to a quicker, chunkier, more gallop-like beat. What stands out right away are the drums: they are deliberate and precise rather than muddy, adding a nice touch of emphasis to tempo changes. Indeed, “deliberate” is perhaps the most accurate and simplest description of this track in its totality. The vocals also keep a certain sharpness rather than falling into the trap of muddiness, which adds nicely to the overall sound.

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‘A Cold Wind That Blows Before and After Time’ starts off strong right away with a unique blend of jazz-inspired drums and bass. The odd time signatures were equal parts charming and unorthodox, culminating in an audaciously abrupt end. On the whole, this track illustrates what makes Towering Mass stand out: refreshing unconventionality.

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Finally, we come to ‘The Crumpled Packs Fled Past This Ghost in Bloom,’ which contains many interesting sections but struggles a little with their integration. Smoother, longer transitions might help the song sound more cohesive, but overall it is a fun track rich with creativity and heavy riffs.

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Overall, the music is deliciously complex, with jazz-inspired time signatures and motifs sprinkled throughout, a true treat for those who enjoy more intricate soundscapes. With this newest entry, Towering Mass has created an enjoyable death doom EP that will delight listeners for a time everlasting.

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SCORE 9/10

Reviewed by Alexandra Desailly