Episode 377: TOOMS: Beauty, Decay & The Monster Beneath – A Deep Dive into Karst.

On this episode, I’m joined by all three members of Irish progressive sludge metal force Tooms — Anto Donnellan (bass), Kieran Grace (drums/vocals), and Alex Hölzinger (guitars/vocals) — for an in-depth track-by-track exploration of their crushing new album, Karst. Together, we unpack the origins of the record, the band's evolution from their earlier work, and how Karst became the most complete expression of TOOMS' identity to date. From the earth-shaking opening of "Blood Rust Of Cudgel And Quill" to the staggering finale "Physics Beyond The Standard Model", we examine the stories, emotions, and creative decisions behind every track. We also discuss the album's striking cover artwork and why its haunting floral imagery may be far more connected to the music than it first appears. The band reflects on the recording process with long-time collaborator Chris Quigley, working with acclaimed mixer Matt Bayles and mastering engineer Chris Fielding, the influence of post-metal and extreme music, and how Karst pushes beyond traditional sludge metal into something darker, broader, and more immersive. This is a conversation about riffs, certainly—but it's also about landscape, pressure, collapse, survival, and the strange beauty that can be found in the darkest places. If you've already fallen under the spell of Karst, or you're discovering TOOMS for the first time, this is the definitive deep dive into one of the most compelling heavy releases of the year. TOOMS links: https://tooms.bandcamp.com https://cursedmonk.bandcamp.com/album/karst