ALBUM REVIEW: Mount Crushmore – Asthma Castle

Sporting a musical pedigree in the form of members from PIG DESTROYER, PASSAGE BETWEEN and J RODDY WALSTON AND THE BUSINESS, alongside session touring musicians and the mind behind Damnation Pedals, ASTHMA CASTLE set themselves up to be in big name in the stoner/sludge scene. Taking their musical backgrounds and a high octane idea of fun, their debut album Mount Crushmore demonstrates all the hallmarks of a band to watch out for.

As a drum seemingly stumbles into the midst of an ambience of relaxed voices and campfire crackles, the motions of The Incline Of Western Civilisation swing into being. Relaxed and confident, the bitter, sharp guitars are matched only by the thick tone of the bass, a harmony of voices call over on another. It’s a heavy trip into the whacked mindset of ASTHMA CASTLE, shifting from battery acid tang to full charged mayhem. The aggression suddenly surges forward, with the kind of manic energy you get from BARONESS and RED FANG. The riffs suddenly become a thick soup of meaty licks and beefed up drums, low vocals and passionate cries. It’s a fantastically full on beginning that completely takes you by surprise.

If you thought the opening ride of this attraction was big, you’ve barely scratched the surface. Our title track Mount Crushmore is another juggernaut of scraping vocal screams, drums that slam from loose and cool to feverishly focused and guitars that thunder unabashed. Brent Hinds comes to mind when the sung vocals take control, which for fans of this genre should be no problem. There’s the musical energy of MASTODON and WEEDEATER here, and while ASTHMA CASTLE keep things different enough to nod in the way of influence, to have the comparison is no bad thing.

The fun and the feel are all very much apparent in the storm that is Here Comes The Black Ship. The dynamic of the band, while completely overpowering in its monstrous highs, tempers itself enough to demonstrate a rise in tension and a wonderful build in tone and atmosphere. Once the breakdown becomes so unbearably tense, the final break is like the crashing waves of the might oceans. It’s super catchy and utterly nuts, it takes the very essence of the idea of stoner metal and bottles it into the most insane few minutes.

Methlehem is a much different creature. Bellowed cries scrape the throat, mighty and powerful like a crazed warrior. The pacing is much slower, and the singing guitars layer beautifully over the plodding riff. The drums thunder, each tempered blow mountainous. This is the very musical embodiment of some great, old beast, taking its time, dangerous and wonderful and a little mad; waiting. The final few minutes are the ultimate attack, the clash of that great animalistic nature and the stonkingly bottom heavy, groovy melody under the foaming battering of the drum kit.

Although it’s not exactly clear just what the Brazilian Catbox Incident is, you can be sure that the musical incarnation of that event is a wall of sound crashing down around you. The crazy fun is never higher than in this song, where guitars noodle all over the places to a satisfyingly impressive level and the rhythm section grooves through with equal parts feel and ferocity.

All too soon we arrive at Mount Crushmore’s end, The Book Of Duderonomy. This final momentous push towards the peak of ASTHMA CASTLE’s ultimate potential. Combining their music most brutal elements into one massive expulsion of cataclysmic proportions. The pace ebbs from full on to completely ridiculous; seven minutes will fly by. Truly, it’s a behemoth of the chunkiest breakdowns and most glorious vocals. And a word of warning- just keep listening to the very, very end. You won’t be disappointed.

As you might expect from the level of musicians, the massive sound that ASTHMA CASTLE manages to cram into six songs is astounding. Completely bombastic, utterly mountainous, and crazy good fun, Mount Crushmore is a record that doesn’t just blow off the cobwebs, but pretty much demolishes everything in its path.

Rating: 9/10

Mount Crushmore is out now via Hellmistress Records.

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