The various realms of heaviness have never been in a better state if you ask me. From unparalleled power to the slowest of riffs to thickest, smokiest energies metal has ever seen, it’s neve been a better time for fans of immense heaviness to come together and rejoice in all that the scene still manages to bring forward. Out of the throngs of noteworthy names out there that deserve to be heard, Domkraft and Slomatics are effortlessly towards the zenith of that list with both having grand achievements in their respective corners of the scene. A joint effort from them would be an outright pipedream before now with it practically being a match made in the riff-filled land, and it’s everything that they brought forward for a split effort that scratches just about every itch we could ask for and maybe even a little bit more.

Three tracks each, the very base of “Ascend/Descend” shows to us the very core of each band with even a little bit of a respective change of perspective to cap of both contributions that add an even further sense of cohesion and brotherhood to this massive creation. This is the exact kind of split that we could ask for out of these two legends of modern heaviness even with the impressive track record of splits that Slomatics finds itself on recently with this even comparable effortlessly to their offensives with Conan and MWWB. Yet, it’s almost effortlessly to my ears that it’s everything brought forth in “Ascend/Descend” that takes the heavy, sludgy cake. A mirror-like experience that shows us more from each band while allowing both to reciprocate the other’s work with respective covers, Domkraft covering Slomatic’s “And Yet It Moves” and Slomactics covering Domkraft’s “Dustrider”, with each band contributing at least one new track for this listen, the only other thing that could possibly top what’s been brought forth for “Ascend/Descend” would be a true collaboration born from both bands that would be a unique slab of heavy to say the least. What we’re given, though, is far from anything to look down upon for all that we’re given in one ultimate package of excellence that doesn’t just allow us to witness two of the greatest rising stars in the world of doom. Along with all of that, it is the simple entirety of “Ascend/Descend” that allows us to transcend to the very pinnacle of what the style has always been capable of, and I don’t think we could ask for a better pairing than this for all that they’ve dared to do and all that their clear passion for the style has gifted us thus far.

There are so many ways that it can be said, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop saying it: this is a truly perfect combination of heaviness as far as any of us are concerned with the gifts found within all but viciously exhilarating in every moment. Neither Domkraft nor Slomatics have any need to prove for themselves after their illustrious runs up to this point, and yet it’s somehow with “Ascend/Descend” that they’ve managed to up the ante just a little bit more.

“Ascend/Descend” releases on April 22nd via Majestic Mountain Records!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Ascend/Descend” on Bandcamp here.

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LIKE Slomatics on Facebook here.