AMN Reviews: Eaters of the Soil – Inedia 2: Dystopian Dirges of Synthetic Decay (2023; Bent Window Records)

Combinations of doom metal and free jazz don’t pop up often but are almost always worthy of a few listens at least. Eaters of the Soil falls into that rough category with a lineup including Rutger van Driel on trombone, Stef Brans on guitar, Gert Komduur on drums, and Niels Achtereekte on bass, synths, and samples.

While a studio album, apparently Achtereekte “directed” the group’s improvisation. Thus, there is a discernable – yet loose – structure on these tracks. Whether laying down jazz vamps accompanied by heavy chording, providing massive walls of sound, or engaging in the occasional free-form blowout, the quartet manages to keep the tempo moving across six tracks. Notable are Komduur’s drumming, which busily moves between jazz and rock inflections, as well as Brans’ gritty riffs and feedback-rich motifs.

As for the jazziness, use of a trombone rather than sax gives the album more of a fusion or progressive sound. Indeed, van Driel manages to extract gravelly and unusual tones from his instrument.

The album’s theme of food chain collapse is represented by a few modest spoken word voiceovers. But otherwise, Inedia 2: Dystopian Dirges of Synthetic Decay is pure instrumental goodness.