Album Review: Brutality Will Prevail - 'Sleep Paralysis'

Down-tuned. Down-tempo. Bluesy. Heavy. Hardcore. The UK has unleashed a three-track demon and its name is ‘Sleep Paralysis’. Its maker: Brutality Will Prevail, and the essence of what they stand for holds true for yet another record. Their latest release since 2010’s EP, 'The Root of All Evil', 'Sleep Paralysis' prolongs this effort with 16 minutes of grim and chaos that’s everything dark, heavy and in-between. Like goosebumps from your midnight boogy man or the neighbourhood pedophile, there’s something haunting that’s been unshackled and this British quintet make no apologies for their ghastly creation.

If it ain’t broke, don't fix it. What 'Sleep Paralysis' boasts is neither a new recipe nor spanner in the works, but rather everything we’ve come to know about BWP and more. Broad, dark and atmospheric guitar leads. Pounding, down-tempo chug. That lyrical fixation on the mystic and the gloom. Those distinctly harsh singing vocals. Prolonged melodic interludes. Glancing at this release from a holistic stance, an appreciation for the overall construction of every element of each track individually, and the relationship between each track itself is achieved. Every aspect from the heavy, robust tone of the bass to the amount of effects embellishing the guitars, to the logical tempo changes in and between each track has been measured to positive effect. The result is three extremely polished songs which both attest a world of maturity gained by this group, and a large dose of aggression leaving fans of this style thoroughly satisfied.

We’re struck with the distinct harsh singing of Ajay, emphasised more than ever in a fashion that leaves it as a true characteristic of the band’s sound. This, along with possibly the best guitar melodies the group has created certify opener, ‘Cursed’ as a true winner. Whilst more prevalent within ‘Heavy Eyes’, the success of this release lies in the group’s ability to reach a balance between an upbeat feel within a song whilst still maintaining their down-tempo roots. In this way, we’re left with tracks that boast more musical substance, in comparison to past material which often had a slight feeling of monotony in the constant slow pace. The third and final, ‘Sleep Paralysis’ is an instrumental truly carrying the theme of this record through its use of sampled interviews of people experiencing this disorder. A release as small as such, it would have been more satisfying to have at least three full tracks with the possibility of a fourth as an instrumental. Weighing in at 8 minutes, this final piece seems better served within a full-length.

You might want to stay awake for this one. Conjuring all sorts of evil and doom, Brutality Will Prevail’s latest 7” effort, 'Sleep Paralysis', casts a shadow over everything bright in a howl that will shake any innocent goer from their midnight slumber. It’s quality over quantity; three tracks offering an overdose of down-tempo chaos sure to stir the dark side of every fan of this style. You're your eyes and ears open for this name, for "when it’s time to sleep, the devil calls."

1.  Cursed

2.  Heavy Eyes

3.  Sleep Paralysis