Ever since Black Sabbath stalked out of Birmingham with their eponymously-titled debut album, heavy metal and horror have been inextricably linked. However, it has rarely been forged with quite the same panache that Polish stoner band Neon Müd display on their first long player Mud And Black Water. Formed in Warsaw by three musicians who bring a wealth of experience to this project, Neon Müd deliver a sludgy, supremely satanic sound that pushes stoner metal into new realms of heaviness.

Neon Müd originally burst onto the scene in 2022 with their debut EP, Out Of The Mud, a release that showed great promise and since then they’ve been drip feeding us a series of singles, a tantalising trail that leads to Mud And Black Water. It’s heartening that the intervening years between EP and LP haven’t diluted the band’s sense of purpose and drive. There’s a sense of urgency surrounding this album that means there’s no time to waste on fancy introductions or elongated preambles, the band arriving with a riff that is dredged from the depths of hell before settling into an unstoppable groove. The sudden appearance of opening track ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ makes it all the more impactful, and acts as a signpost for the coming eight songs. Crushing and bombastic, often conjuring a feeling of something so vast and weighty it can barely be comprehended, Neon Müd aren’t a band for those of weak constitution. Yet, for those who like music that pins them to the floor and seers the skin, a spiritual home will be found in Mud And Black Water.

There’s a certain magic created when three musicians get together that defies the laws of chemistry, when played correctly it creates a sound far bigger than the individual parts. It’s an indefinable magic that can’t be quantified, but you’ll know it when you hear it: Venom, Budgie, Motörhead all had the ability to formulate such a sound, and now you can add Neon Müd to that illustrious list. Weighing heavy upon the listener like a concrete overcoat and dragging them down to delirious depths like an anchor attached to a dying man, it’s hard to resist the gravitational pull of ‘The Cult’ (and indeed, the whole album) and is best to get swept along in its powerful current. Neon Müd exist (proudly) within the doom/stoner sphere, yet there’s a definite crossover edge to their sound that’ll appeal to fans of trad metal whilst the dark aesthetic that hangs over this record is the stuff of gothic dreams/nightmares.

In addition to the caustic vocals (provided by guitarist Zwierzak) the band employ some choice samples (primarily from retro horror films) that help give songs such as ‘Dead By 33’ a real sense of place and time, linking the songs thematically and ensuring they hang together as a cohesive whole. Drummer Piter and bassist Bejman (both of whom add backing vocals) make a formidable rhythm section who ensure the band swing with wrecking ball force. Like a heavyweight boxer who has their opponent on the ropes, Neon Müd deliver every note like a knockout blow; from opening track ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ to closer ‘Takodana Drifter’, the result in an album that leaves the listener battered, bloodied and bruised (but in the best possible way, of course).

Mud And Black Water is an irresistible combination.

• Mud And Black Water is available now (from here).
• Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Channel

Track List:

1. Vengeance Is Mine
2. Destroyer Of Worlds
3. Burning Dinosaur Bones
4. Green River
5. Dead By 33
6. The Cult
7. Mud And Black Water
8. Takodana Drifter