This is the debut album from UK sludge metallers Believe in Nothing.
When the promo blurb tells me a release is for fans of Full of Hell, Thou, and Primitive Man, I can’t help but pay attention. Upon being exposed to Believe in Nothing’s foul mix of sludge, doom, and noise, I can tell you that Rot is worth getting down in the filth for.
Across 42 minutes Believe in Nothing paints a portrait of disgust and nihilism. Rot is an album of nasty sludge horror. It’s apocalyptic and dark, with massive riffs that flatten and destroy, and sharp caustic screams that lacerate deeply.
The songs are weighty with malevolent doom atmosphere. They scream of urban decay, of hope lost never to be rekindled. Dread, tension, and density are your companions as you traverse these nine tracks, assaulted from all sides by uncaring violence and brutal apathy.
However, there’s nuance and subtlety in the carnage that Believe in Nothing unleash. Rot is hugely heavy, but it also has a certain strain of virulent depth and substance. Different vocal styles and musical textures are used, and the band’s songwriting showcases a variety of ideas and approaches. As well as punishing intensity and colossal guitars, Rot also gives us endless atmospheric grim darkness to get lost in. It’s all wrapped up in an overarching framework of despairing anguish and sludge heaviness, allowing Rot to remain cohesive, while benefitting from songs that can be separated and recognised.
In short, Believe in Nothing have crafted a journey into the abyss, a journey worth taking if this sort of nightmare darkness appeals. Delivered with passionate intensity, Rot is very, very good.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 