'Future Eaters' is a surprising release, in that it feels like it has come out of nowhere. On this debut LP, Exhaustion sound like they've just dragged themselves bloody and broken out of the abyss, their last scrapes of energy spent vomiting out their hellish experience before disappearing back down the hole.

Having only formed within the last year and featuring members from notably great Melbourne bands like Deaf Wish, Ooga Boogas, and Snawklor, Exhaustion take a very different approach to rock n' roll. Each of these 7 song extends themselves wearily into the ether. Bass and drums plod along infinitely to an unknown destination, guitars screech and curdle like the end of the world in motion. These evocatively expansive soundscapes mostly conveyed through the use of only basic instrumentation are quite impressive.

These aren't wayward jams though, each song feels of itself and the album is sequenced thoughtfully. 'No Place For A Holiday' would be the most accessible song of the bunch, featuring a perpetually driving beat as we hitch a ride down south, fall asleep, and wake up to a nightmare. It's a great song that over the 10 minute track length sucks you in to some pretty heavy vibes.

Just like the sad realisation that you haven't left your house in days, the LP provides a soundtrack of eerie comfort within the darkness of isolation. If you like your rock n' roll to sound like a post-apocalyptic hellscape, and who doesn't, then Future Eaters by Exhaustion is an album well worth investing time and energy in. This is another quality release from independent Melbourne label Aaarght Records, and gives hope that 2013 will be yet another great year of challenging yet thought provoking Australian music.

- Matt Kennedy.