Estuarine – Nyarlathotep (Self-Released)

Monday, 15th March 2021
Rating: 7.5/10

Estuarine is a one-man grind act that has released three full-lengths up to this point, and their most recent release was that of a 2019 EP entitled Wisdom of Silenus. Nyarlathotep is the subject of today’s inquiry, and as another short blast of an EP, it blows down the doors with intensity and is seemingly gone before you know it.

Eight songs in nine minutes means you know exactly the sort of thing you are getting into. Or at least from a certain perspective. There’s plenty of bonkers and explosive bursts of grinding brutality as the majority of tracks don’t make it past the one-minute mark. In some cases, they almost seem like they merge together into one, monstrous piece of grind, as they generate an atmosphere of confusion and dread as they seamlessly flow into each other. This actually works to the EP’s advantage, and the vibe of not quite knowing what to expect helps propel the songs moving forward. The distinct eeriness when it comes to the way the riffs and songs fuse together gives Estuarine more flavor than what you might expect of a grind band with bursts for songs, but the connectivity between them really makes it a more immersive and forceful listen. The final track, “Planes of Rotting Creation,” takes up a third of the runtime at 3-minutes and the longer duration means it moves somewhat more slowly than the other tracks, but it feels just as stark and creepy, if not more so as the track slows down into some almost boggy sensations.

Nyarlathotep is a bit short overall, but it never lacks in giving the listener a compelling experience as it oddly bulldozes through the scenery. Worth an investigation if you enjoy the grind extremity but are looking for something with some substance beneath it, as well as a few intriguing added quirks.

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