Further Out, the anticipated debut full length from the reclusive Indiana trio Cloakroom, can be defined best as an exploratory sonic mission. From the album’s opener, “Paperweight,” the crushing force of a wall of distorted bass and pounding drumming collapses to uncover the airy, reverb-soaked vocals of guitarist Doyle Martin, who’s carrying a sullen burden that seems just as weighed down. From the headbanging heaviness of “Moon Funeral” to the ethereal moments of songs like “Starchild Skull” and Mesmer,” Cloakroom’s output is the end result of researching seemingly dissimilar elements like atmospheric post-rock, punishingly slow stoner metal, and cathartic emo and how their best qualities can work into a final, organic sound, masterfully navigated by the expert and completely analog production of Matt Talbot. Further Out boasts the timelessness of a classic record: it is expansive and exploratory while still reflective and referential to the astral tendencies of predecessors like Hum and Jesu. Further Out, available now in two easy volumes.
