Cloud - Indeterminate (2016)

Indeterminate opens with thunder and rain and resonant guitar. It's a reworking of 'Unpolished' from their incredible first EP and what a rework it is. The pitter patter of rain seems to slowly develop into drum before the heavyness smacks you in the face. But this isn't ur, it generates speed with an awesome riff making it impossible not to head bang like a lunatic. Stunningly fulfilling in heavyness, incredible ambience throughout and lovely blues laden solos, this is living up to everything I hoped it would be.

Relapse fades in, slow and heavy with before breaking into a chugging wall of distortion and hangover like fuzziness with a satisfying hint of groove make the track more and more listenable as it develops.

Desert Weed was a make or break moment for me. A track with lyrical content, provided by Gabriel Ravera of Mephistofeles. I love that Cloud, up till now, produced great instrumental music so was dubious about this. Any doubt was soon cast aside when hearing the Ozzy style tone of Ravera complemented by a well written track. Cloud are clearly not limited in their writing ability and Ravera puts in a performance that has made his band the next in my search list. The instrumental interlude comes in and transports me back to early Sabbath, before Ravera sees us out with his last contribution.

Otherworldly takes is back home to instrumental land, with a track that shows some development from the original EP with pleasing licks and touches which add an understated element to the track.

Yggdrasil, the last track, opens with bluesy, groovy intent which continues to a breakdown of epic proportions. It eventually builds its way back, layer by layer, to being the heavy blues groove that controls your ears so hypnotically at the beginning. It sees us out by becoming bludgeoningly slow and heavy, with some great drumming fills.

Conclusion
Another great effort from Cloud and if instrumental doom is your thing then this album is a must. Its shows a steady progression the self titled EP in terms of song writing and a nice, and more importantly not out of place, surprise with the vocal track. Another success for Cloud.