Review: –

Dutch drone/doom troupe, GGU:LL, present their brutishly heavy debut in the form of ‘Dwaling’ – a near 60 minutes of unrelenting darkness. The tempo is set right from the get-go with the agonisingly slow pace of ‘Hoon’. Walls of grating feedback create a heady sense of claustrophobia alongside slow and deliberate chords and steady percussion. The atmosphere is oppressive and the mood is bleak – everything you’d want from a record of this calibre. The heavily layered vocals are feral sounding through the smog of dense instrumentals and harsh reverb. A constant onslaught of slow, plodding, methodical music can easily become monotonous, however, GGU:LL create a momentous sense of dread throughout and it’s the suspense of this which is truly engaging. Their playing style is executed with such confidence that the sinister soundscapes are genuinely believable and every listen yields something new to discover. From the haunting clean female vocals of ‘Het Smerige Kleed Van De Ziel’ to the delicate melodic subtleties of ‘Het Masker Vande Wereldt Afgetrocken’, ‘Dwaling’ is a treasure trove of musical discoveries if you’re willing to take the time to invest. An undeniably punishing listen, but one that is ultimately deeply rewarding.