Hailing from Sydney, this two-piece caveman jam band, featuring Sean on drums and vocals and Romano on guitar and vocals, delivers slow, chugging riffs that worship the gods of sludge. Imagine Crowbar, Boltthrower, Conan, and Entombed jamming in a basement, with a little dash of Clutch’s swagger.
Their debut LP COLD… DEAD… DARK… is out now on vinyl, and it’s already starting to make some noise in the underground.
But the band didn’t just stumble into this sonic chaos. They began as two mates jamming on covers from Down, Crowbar, and Suicidal Tendencies, just having fun until they realized they had something solid on their hands.
Initially thinking about adding a bass player, Romano decided to crank his guitar through both bass and guitar amps instead, making as much noise as possible. They figured, why not take the same approach with vocals too? So, both Sean and Romano started shouting their own words over their slow, groovy riffs. The lyrics, as they admit, tackle the usual suspects—war, depression, and the futility of life.
The result of this journey is their debut album, COLD… DEAD… DARK…, recorded at Rock the Nation studio in Newcastle and mixed by Roan Critchley in Sydney, with mastering done by Esben Willems of Monolord in Sweden. It’s a relentless barrage of doom-laden grooves that fans of slow, heavy music will devour.
Released on vinyl through Primitive Moth and Bloody Oath records, this LP is a must for anyone who lives for the crunch of downtuned guitars and pounding drums.
OSluggard also just dropped a video for the album’s opening track, Witching Hour. Filmed by their mates Kas and Ari, it’s a smoky, grimy affair, shot in the band’s rehearsal space—where they made an absolute mess while filming. It’s the perfect visual companion to their sound—chaotic, gritty, and so heavy.
For those looking to dig deeper into the scene, OSluggard isn’t shy about their recommendations. They’re quick to shout out other bands in the Primitive Moth and Bloody Oath family. These are the bands pushing the boundaries of sludge, doom, and thrash, and OSluggard is proud to be part of this underground pack.
Want the full breakdown of these killer bands? Stick around for the full list below.
Religious Observance
One of a couple of similar bands to us on primitive moth is Religious Observance, they just put their new album 7 years of neglect out about 3 months ago.These guys and gals have been around for the best part of ten years, they have a great sludgy/noisy sound reminiscent of EYEHATEGOD/Acid Bath. A great live band and a fun bunch of peeps.
Shipyard
Another newish band that is about to put something out with the Moth is Shipyard. This is another 2 piece like us but they are drum and bass, playing stuff in the vein of OM, Bell Witch and a bit of Melvins in there too.
Flaming Wreckage
Flaming Wreckage is another great band but these guys are pushing the areas of thrash and death metal. Around for well over 10 years, they have quite a solid rep and primitive moth put their newest album out as a co release with another great local label grindhead.
Parasitic Equilibrium
The prolific Parasitic Equilibrium, who are the sickest blackened, doomy, death metal you’ll ever hear. Straight from the mind of guitarist Rocket from Beanflipper, an old groove/grind band from the 90s and a couple of the scene’s best noise makers helping him out.
While you’re there, have a listen to Beanflipper too, they were sick.
