### Caretaker / Undersmile - Split EP

#### 03/10/11 || Habakuk

He-hey, they make this split EP almost look like it was intended for such a release. The cover works well with the Yin Yang reminiscence, as the two bands present indeed show two sides of the same thing, namely sludge/doom metal (wait, those are two things!). While the first half (Caretaker) is somewhat catchy and at times upbeat, especially the instrumental “Yeehah”, the second half (Undersmile) already shows in its song lengths – 2×12 minutes – that things are handled a bit differently, although both bands have a similar scraping sound and clean, hollow vocal style. Undersmile rely on sluggish, pounding doom in the vein of Ufomammut. However, the latter have achieved a more sinister vibe that makes their music more engaging despite the length. A s a consequence, Caretaker’s shorter half is definitely enjoyed more by me, but fans of the style might find some quality in both bands.

6/10: Minds unblown.