Pharaoh

New Jersey has managed to produce both The Jersey Shore and Pharaoh. For a state that isn't terribly large, such divergent cultural output could very well have come from different planets. This House is Doomed is a short and sweet seven-inch, the first we've heard from Pharaoh for some time. Featuring only two tracks, This House is Doomed is, as its title implies, typically wonderful, crusty Pharaoh doom-core. These tracks are more polished and thoughtful than the band's previous material. Much like the art for This House is Doomed, the title track is contemplative and unnerving ― the image of a person looking vaguely concerned about his drowning is the perfect visual equivalent for this track. The song, like the drowning image, isn't quit angry, but with little else to express, anger seems to be the only art form available. The music meanders with an impressive, and depressive, doom groove that sometimes floats, sometimes drowns. "Waste" is a number that's been around since 2010, but here has been re-vamped with improved production quality and a more intense sound. It's faster, thicker and more repetitive, like being buffeted by relentless, crashing, overwhelming waves.