Track By Tracks: SLEEPING GIANT - The Beauty Of Obliteration (2026)

1. Conqueror:

The opener is the only song on the album that can be considered purely a doom-metal track, and draws musical inspirations in that sense heavily from both traditional doom and YOB. Lyrically, it follows a tale of Earthrealms‘ protective force (who are referred to here as „The Giants“) and the prophecy foretold about the havoc they‘ll bring onto every living creature on Earth to fulfill said prophecy and completely obliterate it. The album‘s title – The Beauty of Obliteration – is derived from a lyric featured on this track (the last line of the song, to be precise).

2. Mobilizer of Evil:

Mobilizer of Evil is lyrically a reference to the mythic, cosmic force that drives selfish, profit-driven, power-hungry humans to wreak havoc on their environment and surroundings when they stop at nothing to achieve their goals of material wealth and power. Here, as so very often, it comes in very handy to have a certified historian writing the lyrics. The song itself is a concoction of Gothenburg-esque thrashy/melodic metal and sludgy doom.

3. The Monk:

Musically, we‘re talking sludgy through and through with a scoche of stoner and thrash when appropriate. The lyrical matter is sort of an inside joke between band members. Local marijuana aficionados often mix their bud with tobacco, as weed is expensive. This makes it last longer, and when rolling joints, the bottom end of the joint has a pure tobacco buffer (between the filter and the somewhat good stuff). As the joint-smoking is approaching the climactic end, the resins of the weed/tobacco mixture have tainted this tobacco buffer with tar-juice, and when the smoker takes one puff too many, it results in him „hitting the monk“ – as described in this song as being „a silent master of unspeakable filth“.

4. Slay the King of Hell:

This is a tour-de-force stoner riff extravaganza that‘s relentless (the collective wrists of our guitarists can testify) and groove-heavy. The track is quite heavily inspired by "Kingslayer" from Grand Magus, and the song's title is a reference to that, a very blatant reference, you can say. Taking a break from our regularly scheduled misanthropy, the lyrical matter of the song is a description of the rewards of overcoming whatever personal obstacle stands in your way to become a better human being (ergo, slaying your own king of hell). Highly recommended for those who are in the midst of signing up to pricy and fraudulent self-help classes (thank you for coming to our TED talk).

5. Venom Ripper, Gorgon Blaster:

You‘re being served metal cliches on a silver platter with „Venom Ripper, Gorgon Blaster“, as the main musical elements in this song are quite heavily, blatantly and unapologetically ripped from the NWOBHM and 80s Bay Area thrash-style playbooks. Venom‘s „Black Metal“ in particular massively, erm, influences the song‘s chorus and the song title began as a joke on that rip-off, and the „Gorgon Blaster“ part was added because why not? (Anthrax‘s „Medusa“ can testify that gorgons are quite metal). The main story of the song is about this anti-hero who stops at nothing to bring mayhem to this realm, murdering and maiming everything and everyone who stands in his way, proudly sponsored by the dark master himself. All in all, pretty metal.

6. Abysmal Flame:

Of all the tracks featured on this record, „Abysmal Flame“ is the longest track and also has the honour of being the oldest track - subsequently the oldest one we still play live. It has that „we‘re 19 and just discovered downtuning stoner riffs and pot“ riff-works but progresses well in showcasing our commitment to genre non-conformity – the track in itself blends various stoner, doom, sludge and thrash influences. The lyrical matter of „Abysmal Flame“ is heavily inspired by the epic Snorra-Edda poem Völuspá, focusing most on the sagas told in the 45th verse, events surrounding the death of Baldur and Ragnarök.