Album Review: Worms Of The Earth/The Surrogate - 'S/T'

Split CDs. What a bitch. I’ve had a sook about this before I know,

but they’re just such a panic to review. Don’t get me wrong, I’m

all for the concept and they’re sweet to listen to, but it’s like,

how do I score this shit? What if one band sucks and the other is dope?

How do I list the tracks? Etc.  

So as I’m loading this disc into the player I’m starting to sweat

a little bit and considering just telling KYS that the CD was never

delivered and don’t bother sending it again because I don’t have

a letterbox. But then Melbourne’s Worms Of The Earth kick into opener

The Lull and it’s like, shit, maybe I’ll be alright. 

This thing is crazy, it’s instantly atmospheric and even a little

ambient, but with an underlying ferocity that bleeds in gradually with

the addition of some huge chords and vocalist Rob Allen’s animalistic

barks, and then it’s on you before you know it, rolling and tearing

like a beast. 

Being lazy I’ve never seen these dudes live, and all I’d heard from

them prior to this was the demo they released earlier in the year which,

in all honesty, I wasn’t too hot on. But they’ve made this one their

own. It’s six songs spanned over three tracks and from what I gather

it’s a mini concept piece about a guy who dies in his sleep and wakes

up in limbo, which is fucking rad and the music works perfectly with

the calmness, the fear, and ultimate despondency of the protagonist. 

I could go on about the minutiae of this all day but you’re seriously

better off just buying the thing and working it out for yourself because

it’s the only way to do it justice and trust me, it’s awesome.  

 

So on to Brisbane bongsmen The Surrogate. With their first track The

Collapse they bring a similar sound to WOTE but slightly rockier, with

heavier heavy parts and softer soft parts. This is where reviewing splits

gets tricky though. Don’t get me wrong, these guys are sweet, there

is really nothing about them that I’d fault, it’s just that Worms

really do steal the show. While thoroughly enjoying almost everything

about the three tracks on offer bar some overly repetitive parts, I

just couldn’t help but find myself wanting to return to the start

of the disc.  

 

As three standalone songs The Surrogate hold their own superbly, with

technical proficiency and genuine feeling, but in this context they’re

walking in the footsteps of giants and sadly, a lot of what they bring

is just lost. 

At least I sorted out the tracklist problem though.