After much fan pressure over the years, the band have finally made their ultra-rare debut EP, Withered, available digitally, through bandcamp. Withered was originally released back in 2005 and represents the earliest steps of the then fledgling band. The three epic songs that form the EP possess all the nascent talent, all the atmosphere of doomed, majestic, melancholy ' in a raw and passionate form - that has helped to make The Drowning the special band they are today.

Guitarist Mike HItchen still looks back on the Withered recordings with fondness and recognises the important part the EP played in setting the band on the right road.

"The Withered EP demo was the real beginning for the band. At that time it was just myself and James Moore and we were never really sure how it would turn out - we only put it together just to see if we could make something for ourselves! It was great fun recording it and it was the birth of The Drowning - and that sound can still be heard in our music today."

The band, who have recently completed some UK live dates with Vader and Immolation, are about to start work on a new album. In the meantime, this treasure from the past should keep fans happy as they wait for the successor to the successful Senescent Signs, which drew almost universal praise from the metal press.