2009
08.23
08.23
SP. 023-08 Mose – Halfway To Nowhere
Format: CD
Release Date: 27.12.2008
Country: Belgium
Genre: Sludge Doom
The debut full-length album of the Belgian sludge doom metal band Mose presents results of many years’ work of musicians performed numerous gigs and released a 7″-sinlge and a split-album. The band features members of Thee Plague Of Gentlemen and Neuthrone. The powerful sound is ensured by professional mastering and the crushing compositions of “Halfway to Nowhere” proclaim the appearance of a new serious representative of the style in Europe.
Tracklist:
1. People Eat Dogs In China
2. The Levee Will Break
3. I Sleep With Demons
4. Hijack Hotel
5. Machines
6. Glass (Instrumental)
7. Halfway To Nowhere
Live 4 Metal
Finally we have Mose with Halfway To Nowhere, which is like the mutant offspring of Crowbar and early-Cathedral, and it’s a solid slab of molten sludge, with some terrific playing, harsh but clear vocal, and a solid groove-and sludge needs groove like bankers
need repossessions. The Levee Will Break is a stark and atmospheric piece of song-writing. Y’know the thing that struck me, we owe it all to Mr Tony Iommi, all three of these records, from two different countries all owe the great man a debt. The excellently titled I Sleep With Demons is really cooking. All in all, three diverse but high quality albums from an excellent label.
Review
My Last Chapter
8.5/10
01.08.2009
I’d never heard of Mose before, and didn’t know what to expect except for doom (‘cause of the label behind it), and I’ve never heard Thee Plague of Gentlemen nor Neuthrone either, but they have some members in common. Honestly I can’t say I really know of any Belgian doom bands whatsoever, well except for these three now. But when coming from the great lands of Solitude Productions how can this go wrong?
It sure-as-hell doesn’t. From the very first moment, the very first time I pressed play I was in awe. The extremely powerful stoner riffing of the opening track People eat dogs in China just shreds, and when the commanding voice goes ‘it makes no sense to me’ he sends shivers down my spine. Bloody hell, this is some wicked, psychedelic shit!
There are a lot of those psychedelic vibes б la Electric Wizard going on, while a strong old school vibe reminding me of early Black Sabbath haunts the atmosphere. I can’t help but to think of both Jack Frost and The Bottle Doom Lazy Band, yet Halfway to nowhere carries with it a sort of hardcore-ish feel, and even a progressive touch at times. There’s a lot of variation and nuances thrown in, and still it comes out as a very coherent sound.
Tons of awesome riffs are on display, and it’s difficult to resist the urge to do some air-guitaring during the instrumental Glдss (as well as throughout pretty much any track). As I mentioned the opening track really kicks my ass with the heavy-as-shit riffing and strong vocals, but the same goes for The levee will break and every other track as well. The sound is quite heavy and somewhat clean; but not too clean, just enough to become utterly powerful sound-wise. But the harsh, raspy semi-clean vocals bring it down to a dirty level, crawling in filth.
Mцse (which apparently means ‘sludge’) have managed to mix psychedelic stoner with classic doom with hardcore-ish sludge, and they’ve done it extremely well. The drum patterns keep changing, adding tons of variation, and the riffing excels in groove. There are tons of moments you’ll want to shout along, however there aren’t any lyrics included (just a poster-like booklet), so it requires some listening attention to follow along. Comes strongly recommended.
Review
Friendhof
8.25/10
24.08.2009
Tras abandonar Thee Plague Of Gentlemen en 2004, David y Karel decidieron que su carrera musical no acabaría todavía, y casí al mismo tiempo que dejaron TPOG crearon Möse. Una banda que mantiene las raíces del Doom Metal característico de TPOG, pero que se afinca principalmente en el Sludge como género. De hecho Möse significa en flamengo lodo lo mismito que Sludge en inglés. Con este nombre para su banda los de Gante hacen toda una declaración de principios y ya te puedes imaginar por donde van los tiros en este ”Halfway To Nowhere”.
Algunos pasajes del cd contienen claras influencias de lo que fue en su día Thee Plague Of Gentlemen, pasajes muy psicóticos y tremendamente pesados y con la lentitud como bandera. Como ejemplo comprobarlo en temas como ”Hijack Hotel”, ”Machines” o ”Glass”, pero por otro lado la banda explora y toma todos aquellos elementos del Sludge más pesado y destroza cuellos. Sin duda alguna este híbrido de dos géneros condenados a entenderse y cada vez más unificados, ha encontrado en Möse un claro ejemplo de como debe llevarse a cabo. Si bien en un principio os confieso que no llegué a adentrarme en la propuesta de Karel y los suyos en su totalidad, al poco que le dí un par de oportunidades, me encontré un mundo maravilloso para los enfermos de estas tendencias. Poco a poco me he ido dando cuenta como de bueno es este trabajo por lo que os recomiendo darle tiempo a este buena obra.
En esta propuesta hay tanto de bueno por lo obvio, como por alguna que otra propuesta original, algo que te deja con muchas ganas de ver por donde nos sorprenden los belgas en el futuro.
Recomiendo encarecidamente este álbum a cualquiera que disfrute de bandas como Neurosis en su etapa intermedia, Zatokrev, Capricorns los nuevos Buried Inside o de Pelican en su etapa más pesada.
Möse me ha recordado como de buena es la escena en Bélgica en estos momentos, Serpent Cult, Sardonis, Amenra y por supuesto ellos hacen que el futuro de estas sonoridades en el centro de Europa esté en muy buenas manos.
Author: Iván C.
Review
Kronos Mortus
7.5/10
06.09.2009
A Belga trió igencsak a semmiből tűnt elő, ugyanis leszámítva egy single-t és két darab split lemezt
ez az első nagylemezük. Bevallom, nagyon szeretem a sludge műfajt, és annak más műfajokkal való keresztezését, ennek tudatában próbálom irományomat olyan hallgatóság számára is írni, akik eddig netalántán nem ismerték, vagy nem szerették ezt a stílust.
No kérem szépen, van itt minden, amire szükségünk van. A vontatott témáktól kezdve, a kínkeserves éneken/hörgésen keresztül, melankolikus dallamokon át, a néhol már igen csak stoner feelingre asszociálható gitár riffekig minden van. Bár a lemezen érezhető némi nyomasztó ízvilág, de nem súlyos. Kellően nyers, és vaskos a zene.
Rögtön az első nótánál érezhetjük, hogy a srácok nem viccelnek. Egyből bele a lecsóba, és hogy a szövegírót (Karel Busschop ének, vokál/basszus) hogyan inspirálhatta az, hogy Kínában az emberek kutyát esznek, ez örök titok marad. Ebből levonva a logikus következtetés az első nóta címe „People Eat Dogs In China”. Hozzá tenném, hogy nagyon jó kis nóta ez, kezdésnek abszolúte tökéletes. A második dalnál a „The Levee Will Break”-nél nem történik semmi említésre méltó, esetleg csak annyi, hogy valami megy.
Ami igazán figyelemfelkeltő az a „I Sleep With Demons”. Nem csak, hogy dallamos nóta ez, hanem kellőképpen súlyos, és elég beteg is. Arról nem is beszélve, hogy elég érdekes a felépítése. Mindenesetre ez a címhez illő track.
A „Hijack Hotel”-nél viszont egy kellemes sodró, lüktető dalocska. Arról nem is beszélve, hogy a szám közepénél, találkozhatunk egy érdekes témával, ami után ismét az eredeti témánál kötünk ki. Ezzel a kis aprósággal sikerült kellemessé varázsolni ezt a szerzeményt.
Szintén kellemes érzést nyújt a „Machines” elején hallható kis dallamocska. Melankolikus dallam, üveghanggal. Az album hallgatása során, úgy érzem, ez az egyik legjobb nóta.
A „Gläss” tizenhárom perc tömény instrumentális zúzás. Szintén sodró szám, súlyosabbnál, súlyosabb témákkal megtűzdelve. Majd ezt követően a „Halfway to Nowhere”-ben egyszerre hallhatunk dühkitörésszerű zúzást, és megnyugtató akusztikus hangokat. Ez a nóta szintén komplex. Sok témát sorakoztat fel. Megunhatatlan.
A hangulatos borító, és a jó zene sem jelent semmit. Mindezt leszámítva, nagyon kegyetlen zenét csinált a Möse. Igazán örülök, hogy megismerhettem zenéjüket. Durva, nehezen emészthető, karcos, és sötét, elrejtve benne néhány olyan dallam, amit az ember néha akaratlanul is, de dúdol. Hangulat kell ahhoz, hogy az ember, elejétől a végéig meghallgassa, de ha ez a tényező biztosítva van, akkor egy nagyon kellemes időtöltést nyújt a hallgató számára. Nem egy mestermű, de ez a zene nem is arra hivatott. Egyszerűen le kell ülni mellé, és eggyé kell válni vele. Ízekre is szedhetném ezt a muzsikát, de teljesen felesleges. Ezt érezni kell.
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ENGLISH VERSION:
This Belgian trio has emerged from almost total unknownness. They’ve published two splits and one EP, not considering them, this is their first album. I must confess that I really love sludge, and when sludge is mixed with other genres as well. Thus, I’m trying to write my review to those people also who don’t know/like this genre.
Well, there’s everything we need. There are slow tempo themes, growls/vocals crying out of pain, gloomy melodies, and stoner feeling-like guitar riffs as well. A melancholic atmosphere can be felt throughout the whole album, though it’s not particularly heavy. It’s a duly raw, powerful music.
Even at the first song, we can feel that these guys are not joking. In medias res. I wonder how Karel Busschop (vocals/bass) was inspired by people eating dogs in China. It remains a secret forever. Thus, logically, the title of the first song is ’People Eat Dogs In China’. I must add that it’s a very good song, a perfect beginning. At second song, ’The Levee Will Break’, nothing important happens, just something’s going on.
’I Sleep With Demons’ really raises attention. It’s not only a melodic song, it’s also duly heavy, and quite sick as well. Let alone that the song is built up a bit strangely. Anyway, the title fits the track well.
’Hijack Hotel’ is a nice impulsive song with drifting themes. Moreover, at the mid section, we can hear a very interesting theme. After this, the original theme comes back. It improves this composition quite well, the song is pleasant.
Another nice melody can be heard at the beginning of ’Machines’. It’s melancholic, with glass sound. After listening to the whole album, I found this song as one of the best tracks ont he album.
’Glass’, with its full 13 minutes, is an endless instrumental trashing. Another drifting song, with heavier than heavy themes. Then, in ’Halfway to Nowhere’, we can hear an outburst-like trashing, and relieving acoustic sounds at the same time. A complex song, too. It has various themes. I can’t get enough of this song!
Even the evocative cover and the good music don’t tell everything either. Anyway, Möse composed a really cruel music. I’m really pleased to meet their music. It’s hard, it really takes time to really sink in it. Scratchy, dark, and there’s some melodies which unwantedly whisper in your ears all the time. A special mood is needed if you want tol isten to this album from start to end, but if you are ready to this, you’ll have a pleasant time with it. It’s not a masterpiece, but this genre is not about that either. We just need to sit down and get one with it. I could have analyzed this album even more deeply, but I think there’s no need for it
Author: Lemezismertetők
Review
PAVILLON 666
7.5/10
23.07.2009
Möse est un trip belge qui a choisi de ne pas tromper le client sur la marchandise en optant pour un patronyme qui, en flamand, signifie « boue ». Et « boue » en anglais, ça se dit… sludge (simple, encore faut il le savoir). Nous aurions donc affaire à un pur produit sludge metal bien gras et bien sombre, dans toute la furie poisseuse qu’on lui connaît. Pas si simple mes agneaux, pas si simple…
« Halway to nowhere » est le premier full-length des belges, sorti en 2008 sur le label russe Solitude productions (spécialisé dans le doom & co… et franchement très fort pour dénicher des perles). Au vue de la pochette, on se dit ça ne doit pas sentir la rose là dedans. Bien vu, Möse aime les sonorités sombres. Et niveau style, pour répondre aux interrogations du début de la chro, Möse n’est pas 100% sludge. Cet album pourrait être une sorte de carrefour entre un sludge bien compact et du stoner groovy mais pas trop. Les 5 premier titres de l’opus présentent donc un stoner/sludge assez catchy (certains refrains sont presque mémorisables) aux guitares bien denses et au chant criard proche du hardcore. Pas tous indispensables mais toujours efficaces. Le petit plus de Möse est à mon sens, la façon qui ont de faire groover la vase sludge qui enveloppe leur compos, apportant un touche rock’n'roll bien agréable. De plus, bien que les guitares soit essentiellement axées sur la rythmiques (c’est plutôt dense et il a peu de choses qui dépassent, hormis quelques solos fugaces), elles se fendent souvent d’harmonies à deux voies bien trouvées (la mélodie typées chinoise sur « People eats dogs in China »). Mais le summum de l’album se rencontre au détour des 2 derniers titres: « Gläss » est un instrumental de 13 minutes où l’on ne parvient pas à s’ennuyer tant il est bien composé et « halfway to nowhere » qui renifle des tendances progressives par ses nombreuses parties et son final génial à la limite du post-hardcore. Sûrement le moment fort de la rondelle. Au final, le seul gros reproche que l’on pourrait faire à Möse, c’est la prod de l’album.
Le son est bon certes, mais beaucoup trop propre pour ce style! Le sludge réclame un son bien gras, qui dégouline de basse, et le stoner lui, s’épanouit sous une prod sèche et rapeuse, qui nous envoie du sable dans la bouche. Entre les deux, Möse à opter pour le consensus et se retrouve avec une prod bien propre et lisse. L’ambiance en prend un petit coup.
Malgré tout, sans avoir le cul entre deux chaises, Möse allie parfaitement deux styles finalement pas si éloignés l’un de l’autre. En en tirant le meilleur et en se laissant aller à sa créativité sur la fin de l’album, les belges se montrent extrêmement prometteurs. Reste à affiner le son idéal pour l’exercice et délivrer un successeur plus médiatisé…à suivre.
Author: Oceancloud
Review
Shapeless Zine
7.5/10
August 2009
La parola inglese “sludge”, il cui significato puт essere tradotto in italiano con “fanghiglia”, “residui di scolo”, e cosм via, viene ormai utilizzata correntemente per indicare un determinato sottogenere musicale. Ecco, in un dialetto fiammingo la traduzione di “sludge” и “möse”. Ed и proprio Möse il nome del gruppo che sto presentando in questa recensione. Si tratta di una band di Gent, in Belgio, attiva dal 2004, e composta da membri dei Neuthrone e dei Three Plague Of Gentlemen.
Questro trio ha esordito col demo “Möse” nel 2005, presto seguito da uno split con gli americani Hog Mountin, pubblicato dalla PsycheDOOMelic Records.
Nel 2008 и stata la volta del primo album di questi belgi, ovvero l’oggetto di questa recensione, uscito sotto l’egida dell’ottima etichetta russa Solitude.
Nel 2009 i musicisti sono tornati sulla scena con uno split con i francesi Warkorpse, pubblicato dall’etichetta Addiction To War.
Dunque, ecco riassunta in pochi tratti essenziali la biografia dei Möse, la cui formazione consiste in David Stubbe alla batteria, Karel Busschop al basso, alla voce ed agli effetti, e Geoffrey Geroert alla chitarra.
“Halfway To Nowhere”, il loro album d’esordio, и stato registrato allo studio CCR tra il febbraio ed il maggio del 2008. Steve Kuster partecipa come ospite, prestando la sua voce nei cori di una canzone.
La copertina del CD, in un colore scuro e plumbeo, ci mostra una strada che si perde all’orizzonte, sulla quale si stagliano le figure di tre persone. Un vero e proprio libretto non esiste, ma la copertina si apre a mo’ di miniposter, rivelando una fotografia piщ nitida degli stessi tre individui, sempre in piedi in mezzo ad una strada. Che poi forse и un ponte, visto che il resto dell’artwork и decorato da fotografie di ponti.
“Halfway To Nowhere” и un disco lunghetto, della durata totale di 52 minuti circa, suddivisi in sette canzoni: “People Eats Dogs In China”, “The Levee Will Break”, “I Sleep With Demons”, “Hijack”, “Machines”, “Glass” e, appunto, “Halfway To Nowhere”.
Musicalmente, ci troviamo di fronte ad un ibrido tra le derive piщ estreme e particolari del doom ed il doom/sludge piщ classico, dove lo sludge non и che una delle tante influenze. Il nome del gruppo quindi non inganni piщ di tanto. L’influenza c’и, ma non и assolutamente dominante. La musica proposta dal gruppo и comunque fangosa, sudata, marcia e soffocante. Su questo non si puт certo rimproverare nulla ai ragazzi di Gent. Perт lo stile и davvero vario e personale, ed unisce tradizione e modernitа con uno spirito indipendente e, perchи no, interessante.
La Solitude и sempre molto attenta nel mettere sotto contratto dei gruppi, perciт deve aver rilevato anch’essa qualcosa di particolare nella proposta dei nostri. Ed in effetti qualcosa c’и, che magari non и cosм evidente durante i primi ascolti, ma che penetra a poco a poco sotto la pelle degli ascoltatori. Io stesso mi sono trovato ad alzare un sopraciglio, in segno di perplessitа, ascoltando la voce strana e sgradevole di Karel, ed i riffoni pesanti ma dopotutto prevedibili della chitarra. Poco per volta, perт, questo trio mi ha convinto. Insomma, qualcosa di affascinante c’и. Sono malati, molto malati, su questo non c’и dubbio. E riescono comunque a mantenere viva l’attenzione, nonostante le ritmiche lente ed i tempi estenuanti. Ad esempio, spesso e volentieri i Möse strizzano l’occhio al doom piщ cazzuto e marcio dei Cathedral, con tanto di vociare goffo del cantante, per poi prendere strade inattese e piщ moderne, di chiara estrazione stoner, per poi voltare le spalle alla sprovvista, e lanciarsi in lunghe meditazioni psichedeliche. Ecco, come il lettore potrа notare, non c’и nulla di nuovo nella musica dei nostri, ma tutto и chiaramente mescolato, cosм da dar vita ad un cocktail torbido ma gustosissimo. Ecco che quindi nella loro ricetta, oltre ai giа citati Cathedral, possiamo avvertire un retrogusto dei Kyuss piщ psichedelici, degli Electric Wizard, un pizzico di Crowbar tanto per gradire, piщ una vaga ombra della The Bottle Doom Lazy Band.
“Halfway To Nowhere” и un disco valido, ricco di spunti intriganti, ma che non puт certo soddisfare al primo ascolto. Anzi, questo и un lavoro destinato a crescere col tempo. Infatti, ad ogni nuovo ascolto, le bordate musicali e le ondate sonore di questi belgi riescono a lasciare il segno e, come le sabbie mobili delle paludi piщ maledette, una volta che ti hanno preso non ti lasciano piщ scappare. Penso che gli amanti del doom e dello sludge dovrebbero tenere in seria considerazione questi Möse, destinati a parer mio ad un futuro radioso. Una voce indipendente, da sostenere con tutto il cuore
Author: Hellvis
Review
Heavy Impact
7/10
25.06.2009
Uscito lo scorso Dicembre, ma giunto da me solo in questi giorni, Halfway To Nowhere è il debut album dei belgi Möse, band che propone sonorità in bilico tra doom, e sludge intriso di dissonanze e di vocals rabbiose dal taglio hardcore. Pur movendosi su lidi sonori che hanno come punto di riferimento principale i Crowbar, i Möse si mostrano una band dotata di buone qualità compositive, e di una buona personalità. I brani che compongono Halfway To Nowhere, sono quasi tutti (se si esclude la strumentale Glass, troppo lunga e artificiosa), di buona fattura, grazie al susseguirsi di riffs fangosi e di stacchi ritmici, che mettono in mostra una componente eclettica di tutto rispetto, nel suo far proprie influenze 70’s e sprazzi di visionario noise.
Degne di nota: l’opener People Eat Dogs In China, la viziosa e sofferente I Sleep With Demons, e l’inquieta Hijack Hotel, ove nel chorus, prende corpo in tutta la propria forza sgraziata, la voce dagli umori etilici del singer (anche la basso), Klootöör. Un lavoro di buona fattura, che ci mostra una band capace, e dotata di un buon gusto per il songwriting. Una band che in futuro potrebbe riservare molte sorprese, se saprà aggiungere qualche variante alle proprie architetture sonore di base, architetture che con questo debut, mostrano di avere solide fondamenta.
Author: Andrea Angelino
Review
Zwaremetalen
7/10
05.08.2009
Sludge, het genre waarin het trage en lompe geluid van gitaren en zangers die in hun leven teveel middelen hebben genomen waardoor hun stem als schuurpapier is gaan klinken overheerst. Heerlijk!
Ook het Belgische Möse dat sinds 2004 actief is, voldoet aan alle eisen die sludge maken tot wat het is. Als een logge olifant stampen ze de speakers uit en zanger Karel klinkt op z’n zachtst gezegd rauw en op z’n slechtst gezegd als een hoestende hyena. Maar dat hindert niet! De muziek is lekker, bij tijd en wijlen zelfs redelijk up-tempo voor sludge en lekker lomp.
Een leuke aanschaf voor de liefhebber, doch geen plaat die uitblinkt in originaliteit op riffgebied. Persoonlijk hoogtepunt vond ik Glass, het instrumentale nummer waarop de heren me in Pelican-sferen brachten en dat met een lengte van dertien minuten bijna episch te noemen valt.
Author: Maaike Brinkhof
Review
Metalrage
6/10
27.08.2009
Möse found just like their Dutch fellow doomsters Heavy Lord, shelter under the Russian label Solitude Productions. Musically Möse plays heavy, fuzzy sludge-metal with sometimes a rockier sound to it. Somehow this band reminded me a lot to the U.S. cult sludge-band Dove, especially the first song has exact the same guitar sound as Dove. Also a doom-version of Fu Manchu comes to mind. It all sounds pretty good and the lay-out looks excellent, but somehow the riffs don’t come across the way they should. I clearly can hear that this band has good ideas and sometimes good riffs, but in most of the songs they kind of fuck it up with unnecessary guitar-breaks and solos. Let the riff speak for itself!
It’s a shame though, because the first song kicks in with an awesome riff and sound and this song definitely tastes like more, but in the songs that follow the riffs don’t seem to be matured long enough. For instance the instrumental song called ‘Glass’. This song has some decent ideas, but it is also filled with all kinds of boring breaks and solos and effects. Still there is plenty of heaviness and riffs on this album, to make it enjoyable, but this disc could have been brilliant.
If Möse grows in writing great riffs in the future, I think it’s safe to say, that Belgium has a new doom band that will claim the throne. The handfull of songs on this disc that are good prove us this is a band to keep an eye on.
Author: RoyBalowski
Review
Metalglory
5.5/10
10.08.2009
Was für ein Bandname – zumindest in deutschen Landen. Hoffentlich kommen die Jungs mal bei uns auf Tour, damit sie jemand aufklären kann, welch fatale Wirkung Konzertplakate mit ihrem Schriftzug in unseren Breiten haben könnten. Na ja, in Zeiten des Internet wird ihnen inzwischen wohl schon jemand gesteckt haben, was sie bei uns so anrichten können. Und so weit ist es nach Belgien ja auch nicht. Die Band bringt nach einer Single aus dem Jahre 2005 (erschien seiner Zeit auf Mösambique Records (!)
und einer Split-CD mit Hog Mountin ihren ersten Longplayer auf den Markt. Der bietet recht eintönigen Doom Metal. Das ist in dieser Sparte ja erst einmal keine Kritik. Dennoch muss ich sagen, dass mir der wenig facettenreiche Sound der Band auf Dauer etwas langweilig erscheint. Punktuell betrachtet ist das schwere Riffing mit schönen Harmonien und fetten Akkorden nicht von schlechten Eltern. Die gesprochen / geschrieenen Vocals sind nicht so mein Ding. Wollen wir sie mal mit einem neutralen „dreckig und heavy“ bezeichnen. Trotzdem könnte man sich ruhig einen richtigen Sänger leisten. Dezente Sludge Einflüsse und häppchenweise Stoner Zitate lassen sich zwar nicht verleugnen. Doch insgesamt bewegt man sich eher in den düsteren Doom Gefilden der frühen Neunziger. Die Gitarren erreichen manchmal beinahe epische Ausmaße. Der Rest der Musik konterkariert diese Ansätze allerdings. Das heftige Drumming und der schwere Gesang platzieren die Belgier in einer eher finsteren Doom Ecke. Alles nicht so ganz leicht verdaulich. Spätestens beim Instrumental „Gläss“ dürften Nichteingeweihte alle Viere von sich strecken. Daher gibt es nur die gern ausgesprochene Empfehlung an die Genrefans. Als Anspieltipp können eigentlich die ersten fünf Nummern fungieren – die nehmen sich nicht viel. Mein Favorit ist dennoch der Titeltrack, der mit seinen mannigfaltigen Stimmungen für echte Unterhaltung sorgt und das Niveau der Scheibe deutlich hebt.
Einen kuriosen Weg nimmt die Veröffentlichung. Das Album erscheint über das russische Label Solitude Productions. Schaut bei denen ruhig mal rein. Oder auch auf http://www.doom-metal.ru/
Author: Christian
Review
Metal-Norge
4/10
02.07.2009
Etter en vinyl singel og en split CD så var det på tide for Doom/sludgerne i Mose å debutere med en fullengder. Og dette var ujevne saker for å si det mildt. Fra det patetisk svake til det suggerende og heftige, denne debuten er med andre ord altfor ujevn.
Og spekteret mellom det rolige og kraftige og suggerende er det som gjør deler av denne interessant. Spesielt den mer eller mindre instrumentale låta “Glass” på 13 minutter fenger til tider bra, og hvor deler kan minne litt om et band som for eksempel Runemagick, bare med litt mindre struktur over det.
Ellers preges albumet av særdeles ujevne vokalprestasjoner, tittellåta er kanskje den som kommer verst ut og er knapt hørbar, men det er igrunn lite pent å si om growlingen også. De partiene hvor bandet drar seg ned til å forsøke litt Black Sabbath-aktige variasjoner på sitt mest lavmælte er som hentet ut fra en skral Idol-audition, og hvorfor folk skal pine seg gjennom det er for meg en gåte.
Så hvis jeg skal gi noen endelig dom over denne så er det bare at det høres alt for uferdig ut, og hvor bandet dessverre klarer å ødelegge de fleste bra partiene med enten å bruke lugubre vokalprestasjoner eller å virke for ustrukturerte. Nå avskriver jeg dem ikke helt, men kom igjen Belgia, det er på tide å komme opp med noe bedre Doom enn dette.
Author: haavard
Review
Extreme-Metal
11.10.2009
Il y a une bête qui grogne là-bas… Je vous dis qu’il y a une bête qui grogne là-bas ! Comment ? Ah, c’est le chanteur de Möse. He ben…Ca promet ! Il ne m’attire pas beaucoup l’animal et, visiblement, il n’y a pas que lui. La musique qui entame ce cd ne m’encourage pas à écouter la suite de « Halfway To Nowhere ».
Autant sur le précédent split où je les avais chroniqués, j’avais pris le mauvais son et l’aspect underground pour excuser la formation, autant là, avec un album enregistré en studio, je ne peux pas prendre ces excuses. La musique est ce qu’elle est : linéaire, lourde (au sens gonflant du terme) et lassante. Les titres se ressemblent et, de « People Eat Dogs in China » à « Halfway To Nowhere », aucune note ne vient surprendre mon oreille qui flirte dangereusement avec l’ennui. D’une chanson à l’autre, on est toujours au même point, à part peut-être « I Sleep With Demons » où quelques riffs un peu plus expressifs sortent du lot et où l’identité du morceau semble plus forgée.
Je ne vous parle pas du chanteur qui n’a aucun effet sur moi. Le pauvre Karel Busschop s’arrache les cordes vocales pour rien car les lignes de chant ne ressortent pas du tout sur les différents titres. Tout cela a un côté brouillon, c’est regrettable…
En voyant la jaquette plutôt sympa, je m’attendais à quelque chose de plus élaboré et à un rendu final plus accrocheur. Je n’ai trouvé qu’ennui et manque de qualité au sein de cet album. Il va falloir que Möse arrête de grogner et fasse bien mieux pour attirer l’attention.
Author: Belgique
Review
Atlantis Tales
8/10
Когда-то, на стыке стилей, родилась тягучая и вязкая разновидность хардкора, медленная до дума и укуренная до стоунера – имя ей подобралось подстать – sludge, то бишь ил, слякоть. С тех пор прошло довольно много лет, первопроходцы вроде CROWBAR или NEUROSIS получили заслуженный статус легенд, а дальнейшие эксперименты создали на основе сладжа так называемый post metal, проповедуемый NEUROSIS и CULT OF LUNA. Изредка, не балуя частотой, появляются новые команды – свою заявку на величие сладжевой сцены сделали бельгийцы MOSE (“пятно” – самое приличное из переводов) со своим дебютным альбомом “Halfway To Nowhere”, выпущенным российским лейблом Solitude Productions, который, к слову, уже имеет в своей копилке stoner/sludge-вые релизы (GLOOMY SUNDAY, HEAVY LORD, FLOODSTAIN). MOSE уже не новички – за первую пятилетку своего существования они записали 7”EP “More Than A Bullet/Countin’ On To Zero” и split c HOG MOUNTIN’, музыканты также замечены в составе THEE PLAGUE OF GENTLEMEN. Грубые низкостройные гитары на “Halfway To Nowhere” затягивают, как зыбучий песок, в самую гущу альбома. И уже погрузившись в него, распробовав, оцениваешь гармоничное сочетание хардкорового вокала и думового ритма. Под конец некоторых композиций музыка становится настолько вязкой, что, кажется, это уже funeral doom (особенно это чувствуется на 8-10 минуте Glass). И эта потеря темпа и мелодического рисунка притупляет драйв и напор пластинки. Но, тем не менее, “Halfway To Nowhere” любителю сладжа и стоунера не стоит пропускать мимо – это качественно и по-взрослому звучащий альбом музыкантов-профессионалов.
Author: Atlantis
Review
The Streets
5/10
29.08.2009
Det er en helt grei debut trioen fra Belgia leverer her. Bandnavnet betyr «sludge» på en lokal flamsk dialekt og da er det allerede avslørt hvilken sjanger de iallfall har et par tær i. I hovedsak dreier det seg om Stoner Metal i skikkelig seig tapning, men noe utradisjonell riffing gjør at vi ikke har med en rendyrket stilstudie å gjøre. Medlemmene har fartstid og fortid fra et par andre semi-kjente band, men det vil de helst ikke skal telle i noen retning, så da lar vi det ligge. Det låter som sagt helt greit og utover det er det vanskelig å la seg engasjere av musikken de presenterer. Det gjør på ingen som helst måte vondt i ørene å lytte til denne skiva, for bandet vet hva de holder på med, men det er ganske enkelt ikke bra nok. Interessen dabber fort av og skiva er helhetlig sett ganske kjedelig, uten å være dårlig.
Author: Rune
Review
Brutalism
4/5
09.11.2009
A very long overdue review of a great band from Belgium and I must thank Twan from Brutalism.Com for making me re-investigate this band. I originally bought the album early this year and it kind of got put aside as I was buying so many albums around that time. After deciding to give this band a much needed re-play I was awestruck as to how good this band is and this album has winner written all over it. The band has members of other great bands from the area, namely “Thee Plague Of Gentlemen” who another band I must listen to again real soon. Mose roughly translated means Sludge and indeed this is a Doom/Sludge album all the way. Once again this is another release on the great Solitude Productions Label and while most of their bands are of the Funeral Doom/Gothic variety, Mose are a different breed all together. Imagine if Fu Manchu all of a sudden became a Doom band and mix that with the brain shattering volume drenched Blues Sludge of Ol Scratch and you will close to the sound of Mose. The extremely powerful stoner riffing of the opening track “People eat dogs in China” just slays, and when the voice comes in it sends you into some sort of Psychedelic shock. They have some vibes that sound a little like Electric Wizard but for the most part this has a hardcore-ish feel, and even a progressive rock feel at times. There is plenty of variation going on, drum beats change regularly and guitar parts sway and move at a constant rate. The main thing here though is the riffs and this album has some killers but also a couple of real duds, not to worry though as they are kept to a minimum. Tracks like “The Levee Will Break” and the instrumental “Gl%ss” have amazing riffing parts and if there was ever a Sludge band made for air-guitaring then this would be the one. The harsh, raspy vocals bring it down to the crust level but once again it is the riffing that is the main action here. Some of the riffs are so good that guitar-breaks and solos almost seem unnecessary at times. There is no filler, its all good but with bands that are this riff – orientated, you are bound to find a couple of moments that don’t quite cut it but that is a minor quibble. This is a great album and things can only get better, this band has the potential to one of the best bands in the underground Sludge/Doom scene but it might take another album or two to get there. This album is real good but a couple of ordinary riffs, boring breaks, patchy solos and effects that are used when not really needed spoil tracks that could have been classed as perfection. The album has great artwork, killer production but sadly no lyric sheet which is a pity because the vocals do have a sing-along quality. This is still highly recommended.
Author: ed
Review
MetalFront
7/10
13.12.2009
Если видишь на обратной стороне коробочки с диском марку Solitude Productions, то жди на диске чего? Правильно, музыки околодумовой тематики. Вставив пластинку в систему, я нисколько не удивился, услышав sludgecore, а не что-то более традиционное. Согласитесь, зная лейбл, обложка так и кричит: «Sludge!». Впрочем, как оказалось позже без doom metal тут все же не обошлось. Sludge в переводе с буржуйского есть ни что иное как грязь или слякоть. Вся обложка словно покрыта этой самой грязью, будто мы только что достали пластинку из мутной лужи и дали ей немного высохнуть. Семь медленных и длинных треков, вплоть до тринадцати минут, хотя, в принципе, деление композиций относительное, проблематично отследить, где заканчивается один и начинается другой трек. Пятьдесят две минуты проникнуты одним настроением, так что если не понравилось с самого начала, не ждите чего-то нового, по крайней мере, амелодичные риффы никуда не денутся. Дальше, будет только хуже. Читай, более глубокий уход в выбранное направление. Гитары специально давят на атмосферность, аналогичную функцию выполняют едва заметные индустриальные шумы. Пятидесяти минут в самый для раз, для того чтобы сполна погрузиться в музыку. Ритм и структуры песен очень разнообразные. Есть небольшие околоблюзовые отступления, но CULT OF LUNA тут не пахнет, хотя вокал чем-то схож. Никакого гроула, исключительно надрывной хриплый вокал, но не крик. Осознаешь, что альбом подошел к концу, только когда наступила полная тишина. И вдруг понимаешь, что так остался, где стоял, на полдороги вникуда.
P.S. MOSE, между прочим, с бельгийского сленга переводиться как грязь.
Author: Abyss
Review
Diztorted Dimension
23.09.2009
Депрессивный и монотонный сладж в исполнении матершинников бельгийцев как-то не внятно шумит в колонках не особо мощным звуком, несколько странными и занудными прогонами поломатых гамм на гитарках, и тихим далеким сорванным в скрим сиплым голосом вокалиста, будто засунутого в одноименное с группой место. Разве, что с ударкой, все если не отлично, то просто хорошо. Монотонно, невыразительно, абсолютно не экспрессивно.
Фото для буклета подобраны абсолютно жанрово, тут, так сказать, дизайнер угадал. Серо-синеватая с грязными вкраплениями (шумом) суицидальная гамма, обрывки образов в виде фото железобетонного моста со всех ракурсов (видимо, где проезжали и остановились, там и пофоткались). Но красоты или художественной ценности для меня тут нет.
И музыканты, в общем-то, со стажем, как в данной группе, так и по отдельности. Из чего я заключаю, что сделали они то, что хотели. Что тут за message заложен, я не разглядел, а слушать это, если уж на прямоту, тягомотное творение более 3-х раз я просто не хочу. Слабо.
Author: Valentii
Review
Diabolical Conquest
6.7/10
01.01.2010
Sludge metal has long been my musical “comfort food.” When I’m feeling a little down or antisocial, out comes the Eyehategod, Cavity and Grief. Since I’ve nearly worn out copies of Dopesick and Supercollider I’m always looking for new albums to add to my rainy day mood pile.
At first taste Mose’s Halfway to Nowhere seems pretty good; two songs in and I’m grooving on the solid New Orleans-style sludge metal. The meaty combination of Rwake and Deadbird makes for immediately enjoyable listening, sorta like eating cotton candy or licorice. Because this is a tasty concoction; the riffs have the southern flair of Down and Crowbar, the percussion is heavy like Grief and Iron Monkey and the songs do groove more than they trudge (a nice swinging groove is an absolute necessity in good sludge metal to prevent boredom).
But like cotton candy and licorice Halfway to Nowhere isn’t very filling. Each songs moves at about the same tempo, just slightly slower than midpaced. For the most part Mose never hit Cavity-punk speed and every time they get close, three minutes into “The Levee Will Break,” the opening few minutes of “Machines,” they break off the groove and slow it back down. While there are plenty of good riffs, the lack of tempo variation makes every song sound about the same-good, but damned unexciting. After a few listens on repeat, I wouldn’t be able to tell whether I’m listening to track one of track five. And the vocals don’t help this in any way. Karel Busschop sounds like the singer for the new, indie rock version of Rebreather. There is no real power in the vocals and instead of sounding pissed off or angry he just sounds whiny, and that’s tough to take in sludge metal.
That isn’t to say Halfway to Nowhere is a bad album, ’cause it really isn’t. It’s just missing some of the raw power that I associate with great sludge. I still like my aural despair to sound more despairing. Give me the psychopathic rantings of Mike Williams and I feel pretty good about myself, where as with Mose, I’m just waiting for them to bust loose and revel in the squalor that is classic sludge metal, something they never do.
A well-produced album of decent sludge that never quite hits my sweet spot, Halfway to Nowhere is a pretty good debut. But it won’t make it in to my short stack of “comfort food” sludge albums. It’s just too nice and too clean to satisfy my cravings when it comes to sludge. If you like Rwake, Kylesa and Deadbird, this might just make your day.
Author: Tim Meisenheimer
Review
Metal Revolution
50/100
25.01.2010
I never did like when something would be slow just to be slow, heavy just to be heavy or dark just to be dark – it feels as if that is the sole purpose of this album. Nay, as you may have guessed this does not become me, at all. These guys aren’t bad musicians – that would be an incorrect and unfair statement to make. But be that as it may, this is a bland album and it does not stand out in any way; those few promising parts that made me think something good was on the way only made me so much more disappointed when it was proven that no such change was going to occur.
While there unfortunately isn’t much good to say about the album – as always, I prefer looking at the positives rather than the negatives, even if the latter outweighs the former – at least the production is really good and you can feel the effort put into making it sound perfect, technically. I am sure the effort is there, trying to make it an awesome album, from the Bulgarian guys behind it, but it just does not cut it in my opinion.
Anyone who is a major fan of doom metal may find this album to be worth putting in their collection – the rest of us can live happily without it on the shelf. Ironically, they finish off the album with the one track that I actually like; “Halfway To Nowhere”.
Check out these guys at http://www.myspace.com/mosedoom
Author: Patrick
Review
Dark City #55
3/5
He самый последний дум, который, конечно, ни разу не сравнится с тем, что делают настоящие корифеи жанра, но это неплохо записанная, “вытянутая во времени” музыка. Правда сильно раздражает вокал: во-первых, скрим тут совершенно
неудачный, именно над таким скримом смеются те, кто вообще не понимает этой манеры пения, и именно за такой скрим нас, металлеров, не любят. Во-вторых, вокал тут утоплен. Если бы песни были записаны на русском языке, то все бы говорили, что тут слов не разобрать. Хотя они тут не нужны, иначе я думаю группа добавила бы к релизу нормальный буклет, а не раскладной плакатик размером меньше страницы А4.
Author: Ю.Ш.
Review
Doom Mantia
8.5/10
05.11.2009
A very long overdue review of a great band from Belgium and I must thank Twan from Brutalism.Com for making me re-investigate this band. I originally bought the album early this year and it kind of got put aside as I was buying so many albums around that time. After deciding to give this band a much needed re-play I was awestruck as to how good this band is and this album has winner written all over it. The band has members of other great bands from the area, namely “Thee Plague Of Gentlemen” who another band I must listen to again real soon. Mose roughly translated means Sludge and indeed this is a Doom/Sludge album all the way. Once again this is another release on the great Solitude Productions Label and while most of their bands are of the Funeral Doom/Gothic variety, Mose are a different breed all together. Imagine if Fu Manchu all of a sudden became a Doom band and mix that with the brain shattering volume drenched Blues Sludge of Ol Scratch and you will close to the sound of Mose. The extremely powerful stoner riffing of the opening track “People eat dogs in China” just slays, and when the voice comes in it sends you into some sort of Psychedelic shock. They have some vibes that sound a little like Electric Wizard but for the most part this has a hardcore-ish feel, and even a progressive rock feel at times. There is plenty of variation going on, drum beats change regularly and guitar parts sway and move at a constant rate. The main thing here though is the riffs and this album has some killers but also a couple of real duds, not to worry though as they are kept to a minimum. Tracks like “The Levee Will Break” and the instrumental “Gl%ss” have amazing riffing parts and if there was ever a Sludge band made for air-guitaring then this would be the one. The harsh, raspy vocals bring it down to the crust level but once again it is the riffing that is the main action here. Some of the riffs are so good that guitar-breaks and solos almost seem unnecessary at times. There is no filler, its all good but with bands that are this riff – orientated, you are bound to find a couple of moments that don’t quite cut it but that is a minor quibble. This is a great album and things can only get better, this band has the potential to one of the best bands in the underground Sludge/Doom scene but it might take another album or two to get there. This album is real good but a couple of ordinary riffs, boring breaks, patchy solos and effects that are used when not really needed spoil tracks that could have been classed as perfection. The album has great artwork, killer production but sadly no lyric sheet which is a pity because the vocals do have a sing-along quality. This is still highly recommended.
Review
Deaf Sparrow
4/5
Möse vocalist and bassist Klootöör sounds like a drunken sailor that’s smoked one too many Cubans. But that’s a great thing in the world of metal. If not, just ask Lemmy or Brian Johnson. Klootöör really doesn’t sing that much. But when he does he drags his lines like he doesn’t want them to go away, he inflicts the pain and elevates whatever sad melody is being played. Halfway to Nowhere is Möse’s first full-length (2008) and has since been followed by a split with Warkorpse. This trio hails from Belgium and is formed by members of the infamous Thee Plague of Gentlemen. This is fine sludge. Ugly melodies moving at a hesitant pace. Dirty riffs apparently slowly find their way through a maze which forces the notes to constantly vary. The arrangements, force drummer Dedeystere to be creative which he does efficiently. But like many doom bands (with whom Möse shares many traits) and sludge bands Halfway to Nowhere ultimately proves to be too long for its own good. The last two tracks (including the title track) lack feeling, force, drive and rhythm and by the time we experience the last track we are clamoring for it to end. An unfit end for an otherwise neat record.