I’d argue that some genres just feel more appropriate during specific seasons, and one of those is doom metal. It just fits these gloomy and cold days perfectly, and the weather just makes you appreciate the music even more. Which is why Coldspine‘s new album Nullpunkt is the ideal travel companion for December. Let me tell you why!
While the quartet can definitely be considered doom, I would actually call sludge metal the more fitting genre, since they put an emphasis on, and I mean this as a most positive aspect, dragging riffs and repetition to achieve a deeply unsettling atmosphere.
The nine songs are more or less equally split in two, one half being rather on the slower end of the tempo spectrum, while the other one is more fast-paced and groove-orientated. In both halves, the bass guitar adds a lot of the weight and the guitar accentuates the composition, creating a well-rounded riff fest.
The drums mostly stay in the mid-tempo lane and to me serve more as a backdrop to the guitars, steering away from any blast beats or similar techniques. Instead cutting away all the fluff and focusing on the most important part: the groove!
The vocals have minor effects on them and they are purposefully not too prominent in the mix, but rather serve as an additional instrument. Albeit, one that keeps punching you in the face repeatedly, with its relentless screams. While I feel like a bit wider variation in the cadence throughout the forty-six minutes would have enhanced the experience slightly, I still think that they achieve their goal of, and I know how this sounds, being heavy.
All in all, Coldspine’s first full length manages to captivate a very specific vibe that is underrepresented in the, extended, local scene and it is definitely worth a listen for fans of the genre or people who just want to feel a certain way during the winter months. Nullpunkt is going to be available this Friday the 13th and the band will play a show in Saarbrücken the day after. In order to keep up with what’s going on with them, head over to their Facebook and make sure to check out the song below.