Dear Antler - Single Review: Sweet Little Worm

17 Jun 2023 // A review by Liam Davis

Before today, occult rock was a very alien concept to me, but upon hearing the brand new Dear Antler song, Sweet Little Worm, I can confidently say, "It does what it says on the box".

Sweet Little Worm is an atmospheric, slow-burning, and dark track that encompasses many feelings and vibes, and positively the type of song you'd have playing whilst conjuring your innermost urges to *Not* summon a demon in your bedroom.

For the most part, this song is sludgy and evil - it brings in the ideas and concepts that the other slow, ‘doomy’ genres thrive in; the strained ethereal vocals, the unprocessed; speaker-blowing guitar tone, and the powerful, wide drums that you can't help but subtly bob your head to.

There is something truly haunting about how this tapestry weaves together and is presented. There isn't a wasted second here. The minute-long intro is perfect and it seems to go by very quickly as it sets the pace and feels very deliberate and angry.

This song is impressive; it proves there is much more to these underground genres- especially those hiding under the radar; and while the occult premise of the sound seems limiting, I do believe it works as a great stepping-off point into more gloomy sludgy music where the band can truly come into their own and experiment.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ ( 4 / 5 )

About Dear Antler

Began as a solitary project by Bjørn Christensen, Dear Antler is an occult rock band from Wellington, New Zealand. Drawing upon influences such as stoner rock, desert rock and doom metal, Dear Antler has a strong focus on religious messages and the detrimental effects of organised and marketed beliefs in modern society. Dear Antler see themselves as purveyors of reverse evangelism through the art of song. There has been a revolving door of musicians since the bands inception but this has now become stabilised and the band look forward to releasing their debut album in 2023.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Dear Antler

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