No less steeped in the depths of psychic turmoil but now all the more headily expanded in their spiteful vernacular Sydney, Australia-based death metal quartet REEKMIND return with an EP set to showcase a sound doubly enriched by time and turbulence alike. In the space of roughly twenty minutes ‘Glints from the Crematorium‘ expands the sludging plod of their prior work unto greater dynamic death/doom metal space, increasing their riff count and delivering an admirably broadened range in the process. The effect brings darker coloration, ranting side-steps and altogether greater atmospheric presence to their craft all of which bodes well for where this bridge leads in the future.

Formed just a couple of years ago back in 2024 and already gearing up for a second album the folks behind Reekmind are moving quick on their own grime-streaked death/doom metal inspired ideal as their sludge heavy moldering continues to evolve. On their debut full-length (‘Mired in the Reek of Grief‘, 2025) last year they’d smartly honed in on what I’d call contained iteration, a series of simpler mid-to-slow paced pieces driven by soured tones and mountainous riffcraft stretched within ~8-10 minute expanses. Under those strictures their work managed a sharply uniform, plodding experience I’d likened to early 2010’s Thou and newer death-sludge bands like Thra in review. If you are a fan of the plod of records like ‘Come to Grief‘ and appreciate a serious snarled vocal I’d recommend sitting with that first album on a loop for a couple of hours where its effect will hit best.

For this follow-up EP, an interstitial release meant to prompt an eventual second full-length album, Reekmind aim to release some of the tightly contained ire of their debut album and expand the atmospheric reach of their efforts. They do so by working with a loosened, freer-kicked tempo map alongside greater variety of riffcraft and vocal temperament to follow. These suggested changes take none of the snarling sonic excess of their work away but instead broaden their rhythms to better resemble their intended doom metal bones and shambling ‘old school’ death inspired temperament.

The cavernous resound of thirteen minute opener “Flesh Draped on a Pitiful Frame” (feat. Daniel Butler of Vastum) pulls us away from the single-minded drive of the quartet’s earlier work and hikes it through a pitch black lava tube, pushing away from sludge’s shorter leashed riff-hand and making an adventure of it in the process. The biting disdain and despairing thought available to Reekmind‘s work isn’t lost here but now persists as a part of their ouevre accessed when it comes time to lock in or swing the hammer down (see: ~5:18 minute mark). Taking the time to build this song from silence toward increasing escalation riff-after-riff makes for a far more immersive experience outright while showcasing a doubled riff count. Even with the guest vocalist’s intensity accounted for their approach on this song is surprisingly dynamic, certainly leagues more atmospheric yet no less leaden and/or caustic in its exploration.

In examination of psychic trauma’s transformational potential (for the worse) “Cyst Megalith” showcases a more direct stamp from Reekmind than expected, a ‘shorter’ piece which better resembles the garboil of earlier 90’s death/doom metal’s flitting between spastic rushes of blasted-at death metal and slower paced doom metal riffcraft. It doesn’t exactly hit like a Rippikoulu demo tape, and still bears some of the seething sludge coded gnash they carry with, but nonetheless achieves something a fan of Funeral Leech or similar modern death/doom adjacent work will appreciate. In any case it is remarkably sophisticated in stature beyond the lower riff count and unbreakable focus of ‘Mired in the Reek of Grief‘.

As a non-digital bonus track all physical editions of ‘Glints from the Crematorium‘ include the live-in-studio recorded “Rehearsal in a Body of Death”, which might initially appear to be another mid-paced death/doom metal track but seems to be a new (reworked?) version of “Wading in a Body of Death” from the first album. This is worth having for the sake of bridging the first LP with this EP and showcasing what they’re doing differently herein, otherwise it isn’t the main event. The loud drum capture and live feeling of the song in motion sounds great, though. At around ~25 minutes in length Reekmind‘s latest feels substantial enough as both an indicator of progress toward their ideal and a result which speaks to death/doom metal more clearly this time around. It bodes well for what comes next. A moderately high recommendation.

---