Review Summary: Hot Dutch skramz act howls at the world, seasons change angrily
Never mind the '20s skramz 'revival', Teardrinker are raising hell for the here-and-now. With their lineup pooled from various Rotterdam scene acts (NûH, Lijkschouwer, Void Diver) and rounded off by powerhouse frontperson Kim Hoorweg (VULVA), everything about this band smacks of seasoned talent making a fresh impact. The two tracks of their debut EP
Killing the Flowers Will Not Delay Spring know exactly what they're about
: rage, despair, and the inescapable sinking feeling that arises from the former struggling against the latter.
Their songwriting MO is perfectly tailored to this end — forget the climactic peak/valley structures repped by so many of their peers, Teardrinker do away with Icarian flight and go all-in on a steady doom-plummet. In lieu of the post-rock skeleton that has become an inadvertent genre hallmark, the band make a far more distinctive impact with an even split between of black and sludge metal overtones. Searing tremolo motifs, groaning reverb and frenzied blast beats come together as a murky layer of gauze in this mix — and what a mix! The palette here is handled perfectly: the string instruments are blended into a deliciously claustrophobic sludge-fuzz, while the percussion is afforded ample clarity and – most importantly – Hoorweg's vocals are given just enough prominence to be felt at the heart of the EP (where they belong!), yet understated just enough to give the sense that they have to push to be heard above their bandmates. This touch adds a welcome extra layer of desperation, but Hoorweg's performance in general is a live current that surges through these tracks, competently handled though they be, and establishes their band as something magnetic — believe you me, savvy mixing and an appetising set of genre nods aren't the only things that will keep you listening closer to this thing. A band to watch.
