This Brazilian drums-and-bass duo play in the realms of experimental stoner metal. There is not much information about the band, apart that they’re from Curitiba, Brazil, and that Set Adrift is their first release.

The very premise of a duo makes it so that there are huge timbre and register limitations; one instrument can only do so much! Therefore, Giant Gutter from Outer Space sounds roughly similar to other drums-and-bass metal duos like Bangladeafy, and other bass-fronted experiments such as Zvoyn and, to some extent, Primus. Each of these bands, GGFOS included, have their own sound and personality when it comes to music, but there can still be reminiscences.

The way this Brazilian band writes and plays their music is rather unique, however, and while I can draw resemblances with Bangladeafy on the technical bass and drums, there is a certain je ne sais quoi to it that makes the odd-time signatures more easily digestible and not daunting to listen to. Is it the tempo, that is somewhat slow? Or is it something else more ethereal, pertaining to the parts played by Hernan on bass, or Johnny on drums? Maybe it also has to do with my own mithridatism to experimental music. Either way, I think that the music, although minimalistic in instrumentation, is far from being uninteresting. I’ve mainly focused my words on bass up until now, but I want to make sure to note that the drums are pretty insane too, and sometimes they straight up steal the show! This isn’t a flaw either, I’m a huge fan of over-drumming, even if it’s not quite the case here. To be clear: I love technical drumming, and this EP features great chops!

At little more than 20 minutes, Set Adrift is just the right length for an EP of this sort. It’s enough so you know where the band is headed, and also can experience its range of diversity – on that point, the album is a bit monochromatic, but there is some variety, I guess it’s a good middle ground for stoner music -, and it’s short enough so that there’s no filler track, and each song seems fully fleshed out.

In the end, this is a great debut EP from a promising duo, deserving of your attention.