Although forming only in 2005 and releasing naught but a split and this very EP, Eibon definitely make a marked impact on the listener with their invasive and enveloping style of sludge metal. While most sludge relies on a gritty feel, Eibon takes it one step further by highly improving the clarity of their music in order to give a very large and somewhat complete sound; the feedback induced paralysis typically associated with the genre has not disappeared, merely better felt and clearly understood.

Beginning with ‘Asleep and Threatening’, a short feedback saturated drum introduction nuzzles its throbbing head in, before the bass and drums force home the final thrust with a literally huge and arse pounding riff. Akin to the latter half of its name, the sinister riffs on the track and on ‘Staring at the Abyss’ are seemingly threatening, expounding the thought of an impeding doom.

It would be a hard stretch to make a point of the band’s melody; there are touches here and there that meld together from the band’s avid cohesion, but it would be inappropriate to deem Eibon as a sludge band with any particular melodious aim. For the greater part, Eibon follows on with its apocalyptic grounding, delivering it both musically and thematically.

Aside from the hole-stretching nature of the band’s music, Georges Balafas’ vocals must be mentioned due to its contribution to the EP’s menacing tone. His screeches are extraordinarily raspy, but not in an ‘almost breaking’ kind of way; they resonate alongside the riffs and the feedback superbly, and really drive home the band’s sludge aesthetic.

It’s only a twenty minute chocolate romp, but you can sure that Eibon is one chocolate romp that you will not forget. The two songs on the EP are remarkably well written and sound fantastic, leaving one’s mouth watering for something, anything, more from the band. Highly recommended.

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