Wall - Vol. 2

Wall's debut release earlier this year was borne of lockdown boredom; a creative way to pass time while there was nothing to do. Clearly, Elliot and Ryan Cole's instrumental sludge outfit isn't done just yet, after dropping another EP a few weeks ago. It's an expansion of their sound and proves that Wall has the potential to be more than just that; Vol. 2 could really see them lay the foundations for a much bigger beast.

Commencing with a proggy sludgefeast, 'Avalanche' is possibly the EP's strongest track. From stoner grooves descended from mid-70s Sabbath, it evolves into a new bridge in a new key with impressive, pounding drumwork from Elliot, before the tempo and mood completely drop, ushering in a trippy, chilled out, doomier section. It's a nice little part to lose yourself into, but just as you find yourself drifting off into the next dimension, Wall cleverly shift this idea into much heavier territory. It suddenly sounds uglier, sludgier and more unsettling than what most bands - let alone duos - are capable of. With no need to take the song any further, Wall satisfyingly end it there. 'Avalanche' is a great example of how to make sounds in this genre progressive, with a little bit of stoner, psych, doom and sludge mixed in with a healthy dose of clever musical ideas and impressive instrumental performances. One for those who liked 'Obsidian' from the last EP.

'The Tusk' is a groovy stoner headbanger - on the surface, at least, but that's a simplistic overview. The slightly off-time elements, with bars added here and there, are almost like a trademark for Ryan's riffage. Additionally, it progresses in a clever way, never sitting on one riff for too long. It certainly has a main riff that feels like the song's 'home', but at no point does 'The Tusk' feel particularly repetitive, even if it doesn't have the multiple sections of 'Avalanche' before it. Next, 'Speedfreak' is the EP's first left turn, and the first real hint of Wall's potential future and scope of ambition. The Sabbath worship is put to one side for some chuggy Metallica-isms that have the attitude of Kill 'Em All, the groove of The Black Album and the progressive flair of Justice. Elliot's energetic drumming complements the riffs well, and there's even some slightly Maiden-esque lead guitar harmonies thrown in for good measure by Ryan. It's a great way to mix things up and stop the sound from becoming one-dimensional; plus, it's a real headbanger.

Wall's cover of Karma To Burn's 'Nineteen' is a touching tribute to their friend Will Mecum, who tragically passed away earlier this year. Ryan and Elliot's best-known band, Desert Storm, had toured with Karma To Burn a few times, establishing a solid friendship on the way. Even from a purely musical point of view, it makes sense; with both being instrumental bands following in the riff tradition laid out by Sabbath fifty years ago, Karma To Burn are surely an influence on Wall regardless. Their storming rendition stays true to the original and remembers their friend at his best. 'Falling From The Edge of Nowhere' ends the EP in a mysterious, psychedelic way that is, again, something new for Wall. Driven by acoustic guitars, weird slide-y noises and tribal percussion, Wall expand their sonic palette to the maximum. At only seventy-eight seconds long, you really are left wanting more (although re-listening to Desert Storm's Gaia wouldn't be a bad place to head to, if so). The atmosphere they create is nothing short of brilliant over that time, though...

Vol. 2 is a strong sophomore effort from the Cole twins and suggests that through more musical experimentation, the project is here to stay, and you're left wondering what might come next. It has all the elements of the first EP - it's clearly still the same band - but just with more going on alongside those musical aspects that have already been established. The strongest parts of Vol. 2 are those at each end of the sonic spectrum; the floating psychedelic sections stand out as much as the crushing outro to 'Avalanche' does. It'll be interesting to see where the Coles take Wall in the future, but for now, they have a run of dates in the UK with The Grand Mal (another band you may have heard of) as well as a stop at Bloodstock to look forward to in the next few days. Certainly not a band to miss!

MN