Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Dimscûa - Dust Eater (2025)
Of all the genres I enjoy in my metal journey, there's one I somehow seem to neglect in favor of everything else, post-sludge. I don't think I've discovered much from that genre beyond its Big 4 (Neurosis, Isis, Cult of Luna, The Ocean) and Rosetta. Many of its songs guide you through transcending realms, showing that metal doesn't always have to be about chaos and speed. So when this Dimscua EP was brought into discussion, I thought it was a good time to catch up with what I was missing out on.
And wow, what an EP! Dust Eater is the start of a promising career for this UK post-sludge band. We haven't heard anything new from Cult of Luna for a while, but this offering feels like a solid continuation to that band's sound. Dimscua has only just formed this year, and they already have a lot of emotion and grief in their music.
"Elder Bairn" already sets up the atmosphere with its bleak guitar tone and screamed vocals. The riffing rhythm rises before reaches its height in an apocalyptic explosion. The riff storm strikes down as the screams haunt you like tortured souls. An absolutely devastating start to the adventure! The title track seems a bit stretchy in the rhythm, but that's my one and only complaint. The music still sounds huge and emotional.
Raw emotion continues to shine in "Existence/Futility", with different melodies built to last then built to fall. It's like a strong fight that you end up winning and losing multiple times. And is it all worth it? For sure! "On Being and Nothingness" is the 10-minute final epic and a true example of the post-sludge sound developed by the earlier masters of the genre, proving that it's far from dead. The chords and vocals drift through a dimension of catatonia. By the time it all ends, you become one with the astral plane. A dark satisfying end to this atmospheric journey!
As cheesy as this may seem in theory, tragedy has turned into art that can easily resonate. The tragedy that is guitarist/bassist Adam Campbell-Train losing his daughter (RIP). The end result is the amazing return of the post-sludge sound we know. Here's to a possible full album from the genre's new chosen ones!
Favorites: "Elder Bairn", "On Being and Nothingness"
Comments (2)
Thanks, David. I'm glad to find more than just the big 4 with some of the best raw emotion from this band, and I also look forward to more than just the EP.
Nice review Andi. This ranks high in my 2025 metal releases for the year. I think you highlighted the main problem with atmospheric sludge in that everything gets compared to the big 4. And often there were lots of Neurosis-like and Isis-like bands that appeared afterwards. This album was recommended to me over on RYM, and I went into it with some trepidation expecting it to be another of those type of bands. You have summed up nicely why this isn't the case, the raw emotion and one of the very best in this genre that I have heard in a while. It's highly impressive for a first release by the band. Looking forward to more.