Tides of Sulfur - Paralysis Of Reason

When Paralysis of Reason by Tides of Sulfur emerged in early 2019, it hit like a short-sharp dose of underground ferocity. Emerging from south Wales, the trio takes sludge and gives it an injection of blackened edge, crust, hardcore, doom and plenty of spite — five tracks, unpolished anger, and weight that doesn’t let up.

Worms, the opening salvo, doesn’t act as a mere intro — it drags you straight into a blend of crust-infused riffing, snarling vocals and a dirge-laden punch that sets the tone. Humourless Cunt follows, dirty and brutal, layering blackened death metal heaviness with samples and aggression that border on chaos. DLMM pushes the doom parts harder, letting riffs hang heavy while drums and rhythm split open the noise. Pariah brings more hardcore urgency, and the title track, Paralysis of Reason, closes out the EP with bleak catharsis: a crushing swirl of distortion, political samples, and raw fury that leaves little room for comfort.

Recorded and mixed by Phil Smith at One Louder Studio, Newport, and mastered by Dennis Pleckham at Comatose Studio, the sound preserves grime without losing clarity — the guitars buzz, the drums hit, the low end rumbles, and the vocals spit venom. There’s tension between the raw, almost punkish aggression, and moments where they let the weight and atmosphere breathe, which makes the heavy bits land even harder.

What Paralysis of Reason proves is that Tides of Sulfur are not content to simply drag through sludge territory; they want to push, provoke, thicken the texture and provoke discomfort. It’s vicious, uncompromising, and when played live, it feels like something built to shake the bones. For fans of heavy grime, bleak texture, and unapologetic noise, this EP is one of APF’s sharper, more extreme contributions.

1. Worms
2. Humourless C*nt
3. DLMM
4. Pariah
5. Paralysis of Reason

All songs written and arranged by Tides Of Sulfur
Recorded and mixed by Phil Smith @ One Louder Studio, Newport, Wales.
Mastered by Dennis Pleckham at Comatose Studio.
Artwork and layout by Jason Leonard at Wiretap Arts.