{"id":707866,"date":"2026-07-23T23:09:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T23:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/707866\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T23:09:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T23:09:09","slug":"sallow-moth-hydrophilous-brood-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/707866\/","title":{"rendered":"Sallow Moth – Hydrophilous Brood Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Less than a year after delivering one of my favorite albums of 2025, Sallow Moth flutters in to unload another monstrous helping of progressive death metal. Thematically, Hydrophilous Brood continues exploring the quantum entanglements of the Mossbane Lantern<\/a>, a capriciously powerful artifact that can transport users across planes of existence\u2014often with horrific consequences. I thoroughly enjoyed this backdrop on Mossbane Lantern, and learning that Sallow Moth\u2019s new platter would once again fathom the inscrutable fickleness of the Lantern made me equal parts giddy and nervous. With expectations unfairly inflated, I slipped off my skivvies to bathe in the marvels of Hydrophilous Brood.<\/p>\n

Compared to Mossbane Lantern, Hydrophilous Brood luxuriates in murkier, more organic tones than its predecessor. Largely, the differences between them condense into two observations. First, Garry Brents\u2019 addition of drummer Allen Gingerich pays off big time. Second, most of the electronic embellishments heard on Mossbane Lantern have dwindled significantly, even though their spirit periodically reemerges via guitar or bass reprisals. What stands out most against Mossbane Lantern is the new LP\u2019s commitment to more traditional instrumentation, even if the compositions themselves remain wildly unpredictable. Rather than abrupt shifts between crushing death metal, trip hop shimmers, and electronica-infused breaks, Hydrophilous Brood suggests most of these moods without pulling the rug out from listeners, and the end result impresses with more streamlined, delightfully lawless musical hooliganism.<\/p>\n

\ufeffHydrophilous Brood by Sallow Moth<\/a><\/p>\n

Performance-wise, Sallow Moth doesn\u2019t miss a beat as Brents and Gingerich glide through Hydrophilous Brood\u2019s runtime. Most immediately, Gingerich\u2019s drums supply an enormous boost to Sallow Moth\u2019s compositions. The percussive elements on Mossbane Lantern never disappointed, yet Hydrophilous Brood quickly reinforces the magic that a skilled technician can add. Robotic rolls and precision snare abuse (\u201cDriftmoth Vivisector\u201d) may give the impression of programmed drums, but Gingerich also imparts slick sticksmanship and jazzy spasms (\u201cPolymorphic Gnaw,\u201d \u201cSerene Aqueous Leech\u201d) that leave me reeling with whiplashing wonder. In addition to the drums, Gingerich discharges a couple of guitar solos on \u201cArcane Benthic Umbilicus\u201d and \u201cPolymorphic Gnaw\u201d that hew closer to more traditional fretwork, adding further depth to Sallow Moth\u2019s arrangements. Brents, meanwhile, rekindles the aural anarchy from Mossbane Lantern, especially the crisply shred-infested riffing interspersed with brief passages of Cynical bass noodling and subtle synth atmospherics. Vocally, Brents strikes with a varied attack, assaulting listeners with brown-note toilet burps in line with this year\u2019s Lureplasm (\u201cNebulous Appendages of Vacillant Seafoam,\u201d \u201cPolymorphic Gnaw\u201d), aggrieved caveman roars (\u201cArcane Benthic Umbilicus\u201d), and several brief guest cameos, including Corey Peterson (Th\u00e6tas<\/a>) and Evan Sadler (Labyrinthine Heirs<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In all, Sallow Moth throws a dizzying spread of instrumentation at listeners, making Hydrophilous Brood so dense and tangled that it can be difficult to navigate at first. It\u2019s a bit like a several-thousand-piece puzzle, where the first listen is just flipping all the pieces over the right way. With more time, though, the album takes shape and reveals the overarching vision beneath the madness. Melodic phrases regularly trade the spotlight with tumultuous chugs and squealing guitars, never allowing songs to lock in before lurching to the next. I understand how it can be jarring, but catching the quick-flitting melodies as they dance to the fore then fade into the background without dissipating altogether demands appreciation. Thematically, the whimsical nature of the Mossbane Lantern artifact persists on Hydrophilous Brood, exerting wicked fun throughout.<\/p>\n

After delivering one of my favorite death metal slabs of 2025, Sallow Moth follows up with another gloriously depraved contender. As I reflect on the music I\u2019ve loved over the last couple of years, I find that what appeals to me mostly falls into one of two camps: flawless<\/a> executions<\/a> of proven recipes and novel<\/a> explorations<\/a> of metal. Sallow Moth lands squarely in the latter, and though novelty for its own sake often falls flat, the stories embedded within Hydrophilous Brood amplify the music, giving form to its chaos. Sure, there are things I miss from Mossbane Lantern, particularly the electronica-infused injections, and there are things I wish had been utilized more, like Ola\u2019s noir-coded trumpet on \u201cSerene Aqueous Leech.\u201d Yet in the end, my critical comments mostly boil down to what I wish they\u2019d done more of rather than faulting what they did. It takes patience to unravel and appreciate Sallow Moth\u2019s latest, but after marinating in its waters for spins on end, I\u2019m unashamedly glued to the Brood.<\/p>\n

Rating: Great
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Willowtip Records<\/a>
Websites: Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: July 24th, 2026<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n