I guess Deathkings really missed us since the release of 2016’s All That is Beautiful and decided to do something really nice about it. Being the sweethearts that they are this Los Angeles collective have gifted us a little something in the form a new EP, Ex Nihilo (self-released). And while it’s only two tracks on the shorter end of the spectrum (compared to the usual Sludge/Doom fare) it’s a potent and deadly reminder of what Deathkings is capable of.

The production and atmosphere on Ex Nihilo are purposely raw, gritty and lo-fi but it never verges into kvlt levels of distraction: it seems like the consensus in the jam space was that Ex Nihilo needed to sound like tossing gravel into the blender. ‘Absolution’ offers pockets of melodic and cinematic soundscapes, but as the listener you must brave through a foxhole of pained howls, crushing low end and dissonant riffs. It’s what I imagine Michael Myers listens to at the start off the day.

What follows in ‘Celestial Birds’ is a hair more up-tempo but still just as brutish. This time the riffs are infused with touches of Black Metal tremolo and Sam Sherwood pounds the drums with vigor not typically reserved for Doom. There are even lead guitar parts thrown into the stew, but it’s not enough to sooth the smoldering assault blasted into your ear canals.

Now that I know Deathkings truly cares, I will happily and patiently wait for the next proper full-length.

8 / 10

HANS LOPEZ