Slower – Rage And Ruin

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · November 18, 2024

Slower are back with another album, the second one in the same year! What started as a side project of doing Slayer songs in a “slower” and doomier fashion, the band return with another six tracks. Slower has decided to write and record original material this time around too. Rage And Ruin features two Slayer songs, the ten minute colossal version of “Chemical Warfare” and another classic in “Haunting The Chapel”. The band has also written and recorded four originals comprised in the similar musical style and direction as the Slayer covers. Slower has also stripped down their lineup on Rage And Ruin, to a power trio. Bab Balch (Fu Manchu, Big Scenic Nowhere, Sun And Sail Club, and countless other projects) the guitarist and mastermind of this project is once again accompanied by Monolord drummer Esben Willems. The sole vocalist this time around, who is also now playing bass, is Amy Tung Barrysmith from Year Of The Cobra. The album was released again by Heavy Psych Sounds and came out on November 1st, 2024.

“Hellfire” is the first song on the album and introduces Slower’s originality on constructing their own music. It sounds great! The song stays in the same context as their cover remakes. The riffs are thrashy in the Slayer essence with the doomy edge that they deliver. Barrysmith’s vocals are fantastic with her angelic voice and fits the music perfectly. “Hellfire” has a nice atmospheric flair to it and that old school metal crunch. Willems throws down some cool tom pounding and fills with appropriate double bass drumming too. Bach’s riffage is nice and dirty sounding with blistering leads to combat with also. It’s a good song to open with and sets things up nicely for the first Slayer cover from Rage And Ruin.

“Chemical Warfare” is a classic Slayer tune that Slower totally manipulates and nails. The original fast thrashing number is transformed into a doom metal work of art. This hard as nails version is right in line with their riff crafting Slayer renditions from their Self Titled (review here) and draws out the riffs in a spectacular way. The Slower version, with Barrysmith’s powerful voice, casts a heavy psychedelic aura to the song. The third song and second original track is called “Gates Of Hell”. The song begins with a slow guitar riff that plods along in a heavy doom rock groove. The song has a haunting vibe with Barrysmith’s lush singing and the lumbering doom rhythm from Balch. It’s another fitting piece to the Rage And Ruin album that doesn’t lack any of the key elements that make this project so enticing. Heavy riffing with sporadic double bass drumming and a catchy chorus for good measure.

“Sins Of The Dead” begins side two of the record and doesn’t disappoint. The music kicks right in and punishes as it crawls along in a heavy trudging manner. The song displays a nice metallic guitar lead in an old school style that works remarkably well with the context of the song. “Haunting The Chapel” appears next and captures the Slower rendition of another vintage Slayer song. The band really crafts these cover songs into their own style with such grace and authenticity. The seven minute musical cascade is done with such integrity and forges a sound that works so wonderfully. Even though the band only rework two Slayer tunes on this album, it doesn’t really matter. Slower has successfully created their own sound in doing so, as is the case with the title track. “Rage And Ruin” begins with just clean guitars, keyboards, and Amy’s celestial singing. The drums and guitar distortion enter the song after two minutes into the song. Slower introduces new musical elements into their sound with this one. The synthesized keyboards and dynamic singing choruses are prominent on “Rage And Ruin”, along with a variety of atmospheric flourishes. The band has outdone themselves with these musical enhancements and really solidified the potential for each track.

The forty three minute sophomore album is an extensive leap into new terrain. The progression however, is very natural and calculated and doesn’t sound forced or at all out of place. Actually, the sound is an organic spawning of doom laden music created from the interest of tributing Slayer as the muse. Slower has exponentially grown into a new life form on Rage And Ruin, one that is much more than a side project, but is now perhaps, a legitimate band.