Maur

Running nearly twenty minutes in length and featuring two tracks, 2014’s Elegy is the second demo from Indonesian five-piece Maur. I’d classify this band as sounding somewhat similar to stoner metal, particularly on Elegy’s fourteen minute title track which unleashes crisp guitar work played at a deliberate, relaxed tempo. There are moments when the instrumental parts didn’t quite match up to the rhythm, but the track is nice enough to listen to...until vocals pop up during a sludgy, louder middle section and appear intermittently from there on out. Considering how decent the overall production of the track is, it’s unfortunate that these raspy growls positively overpower everything else going on. Even if I could live without every syllable having a crescendo applied to it, I think these death metal vocals could work if only they were better integrated into the track as a whole. 

“Hollow 3" is the other track here, an instrumental with wispy screeches heard over minimal drum elements and groaning, bellowing ambient tones. I really liked this generally peaceful (if sometimes creepy) piece that’s very atmospheric and seems to envelop a listener. It has to be said that this second track sounds absolutely nothing like the demo’s opening, feature piece; an indication perhaps that Maur may need to choose a direction to follow with regard to their sound. With a little trim and polish, they could easily make something that’s worth checking out, but at this early stage, Elegy stands as a hit or miss affair.

5.0 / 10 — Andy