so finally this is the last record i recieved in the bygone year of 2016. it took quite a bit to get to me. unlike the last two records of slomatics, which have been released on burning world records from the netherlands, "future echo returns" was put out by black bow records. it is a label from the u.k. and run by a member from fellow doomsters conan. i believe i ordered the record at some point in early november. by the time the record was in its second press already.
somehow i missed the boat in the first place, which was in early september '16, but was lucky afterwards. i followed an intrinsic impulse to check the slomatics bandcamp again and got aware that they released a new record. fortunately black bow had still second press colour vinyl in stock. after i completed the order it took black bow over a month to ship the record and a few days before new year's eve it finally arrived here. don't get me wrong, i don't have an issue with waiting when i order from d.i.y. labels or mailorders. i even forgot about the record at some point.
anyway, i have to admit that i didn't listen to "future echo returns" as much as it deserves. it just doesn't really fits in my listening habbits at the moment. i am all over that technical death metal stuff and in that mood i am not looking for some slow doom attacks. but of course i recognise a musical pearl when it is right in front of me and this album is a goddamn musical pearl. the band maintains their heavy and sludgy doom sound, reminding me a bit of electric wizard, combined with those weird seventies science-fiction movie sounds.
slomatics widened their sound a bit and "future echo returns" feels more diverse. i love it when you can here a band evolve from record to record creating multifaceted music. the artwork has been worked into reality by tony roberts again. he also worked on the last album "estron" and on all conan records as well. great stuff on display here and definitely worth the gatefold treatment. the vinyl colour looks ace and ties in well into the whole package. check this cracker out! copies still available. black bow records. 2016.
