Slowly Building Weapons To Return With 'Sunbirds'

24 August 2017 | 4:59 pm | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

Slowly Building Weapons are coming back with a mighty new LP.

Slowly Building Weapons are coming back with a mighty new LP. 



In May of 2007, an experimentally-tinged black metal/hardcore record struck the local music scene called 'Nausicaä'. This 11-track release was the debut full-length from Sydney group, Slowly Building Weapons. However, the band wasn't long for this world as a collective due to the financial failure of their solid, critically loved debut effort. As such, the band soon faded into the musical ether after the release of 'Nausicaä', leaving behind a highly intense and rather intriguing record in the wake of their figurative demise.

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Of course, if this current decade has taught our society anything about the nature of art, it's that once dead works don't often remain dead for long. No matter how commercially appealing it was; no matter the cult following it might have garnered; and no matter how underground or niche the work was - the past will eventually return in some way, shape or form. And while Slowly Building Weapons were no doubt an underground, niche heavy act, they have returned from the grave to gift us all with an intensive new 10-track full-length, 'Sunbirds', which will arrive in the tenth year since its predecessor was first released.

With a sound best attributed as a potent mixture of ConvergeOld Man Gloom, CoalesceBurzum and Oathbreaker, it's clear from the sounds of ‘Sunbirds’ that the dire, bleak and scathingly heavy sound from Slowly Building Weapons' past hasn't changed that much since 2007. What with blistering cuts like 'Editing The Desert', 'Throne', and 'Lyre Birds' proving the band can still deliver abrasive doses of "blackened hardcore" in the riff, vocal, and drumming departments respectively. On the flip side, other songs like the titular track and 'Sunforest' capture far spookier and darker, more melodic vibes. And that's not even mentioning how the band enters into a sludgier pace and doomier mood with tunes like 'The Vulture Hovers' and 'Purist' or even how they nail the best of both worlds with an immense song like 'Horses'.

For the record's production duties, Slowly Building Weapons collaborated once more with Tim Carr (We Lost The Sea, Totally Unicorn), with the mastering being handled by the talented Mell Dettmer (Sunn O))), Wolves In The Throne Room). Written over two arduous years, with most of the band being stationed in Sydney and vocalist Nick Bowman working away in Omihachiman, Japan, it's unsure if they'll follow this new release up in the years to come. Which only adds a feeling of fleeting uncertainty to the urgent aura surrounding 'Sunbirds', which is, might I add, a very solid record indeed. One that you all should keep your eyes and ears open for it when it drops on October 3rd via Art As Catharsis.

However, before that bridge is eventually crossed, go and stream 'Lyre Birds' below - it's fuckin' nuts!



If you aren't familiar with Art As Catharsis's amazing 2017 release history, read our feature piece on the local record label here