Moratorium – Night Mothers EP

Ottawa’s Moratorium made a thunderous entrance with their debut EP, released in October 2019. Combining thick, abrasive hardcore with bleak, sludge-metal riffs, the band channels the crushing intensity of acts like His Hero Is Gone, Cursed, and Union of Uranus, delivering a sound that’s heavy and dark as hell.

This record is an impressive blend of modern extremity, fusing hardcore’s urgency with sludge’s oppressive weight. The result is a down-tuned, bulldozing wall of sound that refuses to let up. Churning guitars shift between metallic chaos and subtle melodic flourishes, while the vocals seamlessly navigate between modern hardcore grunts and agonizing, sludgy screams. Every element works together to create a relentless momentum that carries through from start to finish, leaving no room for filler or missteps.

Lyrically, Moratorium goes beyond the usual hardcore clichés, tackling meaningful topics with intelligence and depth. The standout title track, “Night Mothers,” is a powerful defense of women’s bodily autonomy, featuring a guest appearance by none other than Chris Colohan (SECT, Cursed, Burning Love, Left For Dead, and more). Colohan’s intense vocals add a layer of ferocity to an already brutal song, though one can’t help but wonder why the band didn’t bring in a female guest vocalist for this particular topic.

As far as debut EPs go, this one is a blistering success. From the stellar production to the razor-sharp songwriting, Moratorium has set a high bar for themselves with this release. My only regret is not discovering this sooner.

If you’re a fan of dark, heavy, and uncompromising hardcore with a sludge-metal thing going on, Moratorium is a band you can’t afford to miss. Night Mothers is an exceptional debut that demands your attention—and leaves you eager to hear what they’ll do next.