Fast-rising doom crew The Crawling unveil their devastating debut album

The Crawling, Hammer-exclusive promo pic 2017

Not that you’d know it from the sound of their debut album, Anatomy Of Loss, but Northern Ireland’s The Crawling have a lot to be positive about. Following performances at Bloodstock, Siege Of Limerick and Norway’s Inferno festivals, the three-piece are fast becoming rising stars of the ever-more pertinent doom scene.

That process is about to get another boost come Friday April 7, when Anatomy Of Loss gets released upon the word via Grindscene Records. Both an affirmation of 90s death-doom grit and a harrowingly sincere journey into the dark chasms of personal loss, this is an album whose humid, clenched atmospheres, chest-wrenching shifts of tempo and juddering yet unredemptive riffs seem to stew emotions down to their most potent essence, while still prising open ventricles of the heart as if searching vainly for sustenance in a burnt-out wasteland.

If this sounds like the kind of utterly bleak and barren prospect that resonates deep down, then be ready to accept a small glimmer of joy, because we’re previewing the album in its full, day-ruining glory.

Anatomy of Loss,” says vocalist Andy Clarke, “is an album inspired by true events. It examines experiences of the band first-hand, and what we see in our everyday lives. In short, it is a collection of stories about loss, regret and despondency. It looks at how people develop mechanisms to cope with grief, failure and heartbreak; and more often than not – the inability to do so. The recording process consisted of fun, despair, rage and subsequently immense satisfaction. Translating a song from the rehearsal studio to record is a daunting task, but this album was particularly challenging.”

Draw the curtains closed, prepare your fingernails for some serious chewing and give yourself over to the unflinching honesty of Anatomy Of Loss below!

Check out The Crawling’s Facebook page here

And pre-order The Anatomy Of Loss here!

Jonathan Selzer

Having freelanced regularly for the Melody Maker and Kerrang!, and edited the extreme metal monthly, Terrorizer, for seven years, Jonathan is now the overseer of all the album and live reviews in Metal Hammer. Bemoans his obsolete superpower of being invisible to Routemaster bus conductors, finds men without sideburns slightly circumspect, and thinks songs that aren’t about Satan, swords or witches are a bit silly.