Womb of the Desert Sun

Connecticut duo Womb of the Desert Sun are obsessed with the possibilities of low end. Consisting of Chris Grosso on bass and vocals and Mike Banfield (Pristina) on drums, the pair explore the sludgier depths of sound possible when the rhythm section take centre stage, leaving their tones in the fire so long that they become charred. Where Moths Eat and Worms Destroy features Sisyphean paces and grim, dirge-like bass riffs pummelled forward by the surprisingly dynamic drumming. The vocals are delivered in a kind of half-spoken, half-shouted way that makes them sound belaboured, as though Grosso can't catch his breath, but the monotonous delivery can also distract from the more sinuous bass lines and sparkling drum passages, such as on "Wrists." There is a fearsome quality to this record and an evil heat, but Where Moths Eat and Worms Destroy nonetheless comes across as more of an experiment than a fully realized vision.