A striking new release only for the hardcore.
As we begin to focus on the doom music scene from the suburbs of Chicago, Stomach is a band looking to make an impact with their newest release in July of 2025, Low Demon. Their second album is an absolute sludge fest as their sound is a relentless, oozing form of despair. Notably, the heavy metal sound was a solo creation from John Hoffman, who previously and currently contributes to the band, by playing the drums and heading vocals.
Shortly thereafter, the band became a duo with the addition of Adam Tomlinson on guitars. The duo eventually was supported by another musician – enlisted by Kirk Syrek for bass guitars prior to the release of Low Demon. The band was originally created in 2020 in western Chicago, setting the stage for the trio to begin producing their version of dark and ominous doom music. Important to note, their sludge metal sound on Low Demon is heavily influenced by the band, Grief.
Shifting to the songs on the album, “Bastard Scum” is a standout on this particular album because it is a long, punishing song, and it is the most dynamic one. It begins with Hoffman’s dread-soaked guttural vocals, along with slow drum rolls throughout the whole track. Furthermore, the guitars are throbbing with agony, generating a sickening atmosphere.
The next musical piece in this five-track collection is “Get Through Winter”. During the start of the song, the guitars strike a dismal chord as they resonate through the whole track. The song is reminiscent of comparing life to the pangs of seasonal depression and attempting to cope with the treacherous conditions while slogging through it.
Besides the dark atmosphere, the trolling beat continues in the next musical arrangement, “Oscillate.” However, in the middle of the track, the band seems to abandon the song by letting the guitars reverberate and not play any chords, only to return a minute later with the lead singer shrieking about the anguish of being alone in life. The thick and low tuned metal sound persists as the singer growls periodically until the end of this particular musical work.
One must be an ardent fan of doom metal to appreciate Stomach’s message and especially its music. Otherwise, there is little color on the dread filled Low Demon LP, as most of the songs are eerily similar and they evoke a bleak atmosphere at most with no real memorable, catchy choruses or riffs. There is little appeal for the general heavy metal music fan when listening to Stomach’s grim new release.
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