Influence is something that I somehow find a way to simultaneously overlook yet take in on many different occasions. It’s something that just happens for me as in many cases you can hear the influence of bands that have become household names on young acts from all around the world to the point where some bands just strive to replicate that sound out of sheer reverence. But it’s often more complicated than that since with there being a seemingly infinite amount of possible influences, new bands can be influenced from virtually anywhere. Taking their love for music for what seems to be almost the entire board of metal, Axis Mundi makes a promising splash with their debut EP.

Truth be told, while there’s clear influence from more intense styles like death and doom metal in the mix here as Axis Mundi tries their hand as some oddly infectious sludge metal, it’s a solid 90s grunge flavor that comes through the most for me, somehow. Maybe it’s the classy Nirvana cover that’s done here to make me think that, but it’s with the two delectable tracks along with a decent opener that “The Depths” gives the world its first taste of just what exactly Axis Mundi is capable of. Nothing ground-breaking, as you might imagine, but that doesn’t take a single lick of power away from this act from Singapore as this small effort is the sort of thing that will surely be quickly built upon as you can hear not only the immense ferocity amongst the carnage but the budding talent as Axis Mundi does nothing but dominate track after track. It’s each helping that’s layered fantastically with riffs overlayed in a classic sludge sound that is no less than captivating, vocals that are just as terrifying as they are capturing, and a sound that quickly grows on you as “The Depths” shows us time and again that Axis Mundi still have far to go but they are in a fantastic place to start off!

Looking into the future is something that I always enjoy doing with new acts because, depending on the band, the possibilities can seem endless as the potential has taken root with the band simply needing to will the greatness into being. That’s where Axis Mundi is at, I can feel it. “The Depths” has convinced me to keep an eye on this young Singapore group and I have a gut feeling that, given a few year’s time, Axis Mundi can make something truly to look forward to.

LISTEN to “The Depths” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Axis Mundi on Facebook here.