Slomatics // Atomicult // Album Review

Belfast’s sludgy doom riffers are taking us on the journey to the Atomicult.

For those not familiar with Slomatics, this group of heavy riffs began in 2004. And with two decades under their belt, the groups have released some of the most cosmic & heavy riff-laced records to come from Ireland & the UK in that time. Their split with Conan is one of my favourites.

Now with their eighth full-length album “Atomicult” sees the band grow on their expansive sound, go even spacier & might be some of the most catchy balls-out riffs they have written to date.

The album’s opening track, “Obey Capricorn”, goes straight in with one of the biggest riffs of 2025. This fuzzed-out hypnotic track feels like it’s casting a spell on you. The simple but effective opening few moments grab you straight away. Drummer & vocalist Marty Harvey’s pipes are some of the most gorgeous you will ever hear. Adding this soaring & glorious sound to the band. And this whole album & certainly this first track lets you know just how great he is.

The following track, “Phantom Castle Warning”, keeps the train going but slows things even more for a stomper track that can only be described as Bigfoot trekking through tar (yeah, that slow & heavy). My favourite thing about Slomatics is their use of keyboards & space sound elements to give the tracks a different dimension. This track has great uses of them, like a nice blanket underneath to thicken out this already huge track. This riff on this track may be “basic”, but only a good, simple riff will hold you for so long & guitarists David Majury and Chris Couzens always can, & they never stop surprising me with tempo changes, ways to phase a riff that will always grab a hold of the listener.

“Physical Witching” is a nice halfway mark track that is the only way I can describe it as doom electronic. The whole track is a journey into this washed-out synth dream. What I imagine would be the soundtrack if you were travelling through a wormhole, ha. It’s mellow but heavy back beat allows Marty Harvey’s vocals to really shine. We need to talk briefly about the production of the album. Produced by Rocky O’Reilly at Start Together Studios in Belfast and mastered by the legendary James Plotkin, when it comes to sludge & doom, there is always that choice to go super dirty or very clean & the band loses its power. Here, Slomatics have found this perfect balance. All the heavy elements of the band feel organic, whole & have such power. But elements like the electronics, Harvey’s vocals are clear, precise & hold a ton of weight. Allowing the album to feel very coherent but melding both sides of the coin on their best merits.

“Atomicult” is an outstanding album. Slomatics are really making their own mark on the genre. Keeping the DNA of what came before them, their influences, but using those to create their own monolithic mountain of a sound. The album keeps hitting you with moments & surprises that just keep you satisfied as a listener & lover of the genre. The album not only feels like the band’s most impactful so far, but it feels the freshest & is a great jumping-in point for a new listener, or will give you what you want as a long-time fan.

Review: Joseph Mitchell

Atomicult is out via Majestic Mountain Records on 12th September 2025

Tracklist:

01 – Obey Capricorn	3:41
02 – Phantom Castle Warning	3:29
03 – Auto-Skull	4:58
04 – Relics	2:51
05 – Night Grief	4:31
06 – Physical Witching	6:00
07 – Chrome Sisters	4:08
08 – Biclops	3:22
09 – Summer Skeletons	1:03
10 – To Ultramegaphonium	5:35