Qrixkuor – The Womb of the World Review

By Kenstrosity

Four and a half years ago, Qrixkuor’s debut LP Poison Palinopsia took me by complete surprise, shoving its way inexorably towards a #3 spot on my Top Ten(ish) of 2021. Merging elements of psychedelia, black-and-white horror/thriller OSTs, and cavernous death metal into one gnarled abomination, the UK duo evokes an ever-contorting grotesquery put to music. After 2022’s follow-up EP Zoetrope, which left me cold by comparison, I waited with bated, anxious breath for the next long-form opus. At long last it looms just over the horizon, The Womb of the World.

Two key differences distinguish The Womb of the World from Poison Palinopsia. Firstly, it consists of four epics instead of two, clocking in at a comparable net runtime of 50 minutes. Secondly, Qrixkuor’s trademark orchestrations are performed by The Orchestra of the Silent Stars, which means every instrument and voice you hear is the genuine article. From there, much of the sound and style you’ve heard from Qrixkuor before carries over to today. Cavernous, horrific, bizarre and beautiful, The Womb of the World splits open a cosmic gash from which endless unknowable terrors spill forth in uncontrolled hemorrhage. Head-spinning arpeggios, cascading chromatics, unrelenting riff barrages, and dramatic orchestral hysteria coalesce into a barely ordered chaos that tests my sanity with every phrase. A deformed maze of unhinged twangs, discordant choirs, and reckless blasts guides me but refuses to hold my hand, leaving me to get lost in a miasma of ghastly visions the likes of which only nightmares conjure. With this deeply disturbing methodology, Qrixkuor once again invokes a singular beauty from viscous tar most foul.

Just as was the case for Poison Palinopsia, The Womb of the World isn’t a record of immediacy, but rather one of tricky depth and exceptional layering. With every revisit, compelled as I am to return to something as disturbingly alluring as this, new petals unfurl, additional barbs prick the skin, and my mind falls further down Qrixkuor’s abyss. One example out of countless multitudes, epic 17-minute closer “The Womb of the World” disguises vampiric organs underneath glistening strings and serrated death metal riffs and rhythms. Eventually, those more dominant elements spread out, allowing dramatic pipes to fill the void left between; only to be once more superseded not only by a prolonged and intensely satisfying guitar solo that I’d sooner expect from a much sleazier act, but also the record’s most ascendant orchestral climax. In another case, a torturous chaos howling throughout “And You Shall Know Perdition as Your Shrine” obfuscates all forms that would dare stand behind it, but as the perilous brambles shift and writhe, I start to see an underlying order emanating from within. Suddenly, guest vocalist Jaded Lungs’ (Adorior) hellish utterances and S’s complex guitar work and lush orchestrations ring with a definition and clarity I couldn’t acquire before. That gentle order which Qrixkuor wields so well ensures that The Womb of the World twists and slides through such tumultuous environs as these with uncannily fluidity—act to act, song to song, verse to verse, measure to measure—leaving behind nary a single wasted second.

The Womb of the World is undeniably memorable in a way Poison Palinopsia never quite achieved. I am loath to call anything Qrixkuor pens accessible, but opener “So Spoke the Silent Stars” launches the record with such incredible power and propulsion—exhibiting, largely through D’s fantastic drum performance, a deathly muscularity fortified by the grace and flexibility of a far more lithe and lean figure—that it embeds deep within my psyche. “Slithering Serendipity” pulls off the same feat, albeit through a more emotional appeal. Emotive and exuberant soloing, inspired choir bursts, and deceptively simple lead-guitar/piano core melodies peel back the calloused flesh that shields The Womb of the World’s bleeding heart. Thus, it invites me to fall hopelessly in love with that which should revolt and repulse. Whatever flaws that seemed to exist up to that point fall away into nothingness, made meaningless by the passion and commitment Qrixkuor poured into every curled note.

But I must remember, flaws are the essence of true beauty. For The Womb of the World, those flaws are more often than not ones of production as opposed to performance. Most notably, the drums. D’s performance is nothing short of staggering, but his snare is muffled, his cymbals a touch glassy for my taste, and his bass drum just muddy enough to congeal in moments of extreme rapidity. Yet, it’s hard to imagine that The Womb of the World would sound the way it should if Qrixkuor erased those blemishes. In any case, it’s safe to say that Qrixkuor outdid themselves. Their sound and style won’t find fans in every corner. In fact, I’d go so far as to say The Womb of the World is liable to weed out prudish listeners more harshly than Poison Palinopsia already had. But it is an unqualified success all the same, a mastapeece for those to whom sanity is immaterial. Should you be of that sort, The Womb of the World is essential.

Rating: Excellent!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Invictus Productions
Websites: qrixkuordeath.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/qrixkuor
Releases Worldwide: November 7th, 2025

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POHL – Mysteries Review

By Steel Druhm

Written By: Nameless_N00b_87

There was a time when spending my nights playing in tiny, shoulder-to-shoulder music venues with the rank of perspiration, booze, and fog felt like home. These days, however, they are places I frequent rather than dwell, an aftermath of the stark reality that is the present-day music industry. Because­­­­— if nothing else— being in a band is hard work. This is a truth UK noise rock duo POHL understand. Despite suffering from various starts and stops over their twelve-year existence, guitarist/vocalist Will Pearce (ex-Hey Colossus) and rhythmist Dr. Linda Westman1 (ex-Old Hope) overcame adversity to release three EPs of gratifying experimental noise rock that pulled from a platter of influences like psychedelic, punk, stoner, and heavy metal. Four years have passed since their last offering and the Sheffield rockers have now returned with their debut LP Mysteries. Grab a tallboy and follow me as we rush to the front of the stage to discover what aural mysteries await once the lights drop.

Mysteries confirm that POHL have spent their four-year hiatus largely honing their sound. The unhinged, technical, sonic assault that was 2020’s Freakspeed has been reformed into a methodical layered cake of rumbling, dense, cosmic noise rock tailor-made to make yourself deaf. Their modern low-fi approach is simple and concise, with the thunderous sounds of Westman’s low-tuned drums powering a heavy groove of exceedingly distorted melody and sustain— a tip of the cap to the likes of Torche— with little variation in tempo, dynamics, and structure. Fortunately, Pearce’s vocals provide some much-needed experimental acidity to POHL’s fatty instrumental underbelly. They fluctuate between chants, harmonies, juvenile taunts, and callous yelling that reside somewhere between chaotic and schizophrenic. The weight and gravity of Pearce’s delivery demands your attention across the album’s nine tracks, as do the hefty lyrical themes of grief, faith, mental health, and substance use.

The good news first— Mysteries is full of quality moments that will cater to a broad range of tastes. POHL are at their best when they rely on their immersive blend of heavy groove and distorted melodies to create powerful yet simple slabs of pop-centric noise rock. First-half tracks like “THE WHALE,” “REVELATION,” “NARRATOR” and “GOD” are loaded with catchy hooks that are bolstered by Westman’s rhythms, Pearce’s harmonies and his relentless wails. Westman’s performance is particularly notable, demonstrating her ability to shift between heavy and powerful strokes to intricate and precise patterns, rightly complimenting the distorted sustain of Pearce’s open guitar chords and the thick fuzz of his riffs. Elsewhere, the percolating riff in “PERGAMON,” the acoustic interlude “UNTITLED II,” and Pearce’s hammer-ons and pull-offs in “GOD” prove that POHL are still capable of orienting towards the progressive than the noisy and unrelenting. These highlights are, in part, what made Freakspeed a success and the combination of head-bobbing groove with uncompromising atmosphere and emotive energy can create a satisfying listening experience.

But I came away from Mysteries disappointed. POHL’s systematic and repetitive compositions become well-worn by the album’s midpoint with prolonged opener “NARRATOR” immediately overstaying its welcome, or one-dimensional “CELLAR HEAD” lacking much variation in tempo or dynamics. Challenges in composition also rear their head throughout Mysteries short thirty-minute runtime, as the duo attempt to incorporate improvisational flair that abruptly redirects the current within some of the strongest contributions (“GOD,” “REVELATION,” and “THE WHALE”). Then there is the filler. Although “UNTITLTED 2” does an admirable job of providing a stimulating— and somewhat necessary— reprieve from POHL’s wall of sound, “THE DOOR” and “THE END” provide little value to the collective whole, causing the otherwise enjoyable “PERGAMON” to become guilty by association and skipped altogether.

POHL’s debut showcases their capability to craft heavy, atmospheric noise rock that blends catchy hooks with Pearce’s powerful vocals. It highlights some of the compelling elements of the duo’s sonic past while also indicating they are willing to take a few risks. Yet, despite their affinity for raw energy and power, repetition and monotony become challenging in the latter half and filler tracks offer little substance. With risk always looms the possibility of disappointment, and while shortcomings may detract from the album’s overall impact, Mysteries hints at POHL’s potential.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Wrong Speed Records
Websites: pohl.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/pohlrules
Releases Worldwide: July 26th, 2024

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