Doug Harrison’s (Fen) gloom rock solo project Slug Comparison released new EP »Cold In Cold Out«; available now on all major streaming platforms!
British Columbia, Canada based grunge/progressive rock solo project Slug Comparison by Fen vocalist/guitarist Doug Harrison presents new EP, »Cold In Cold Out«, which was just released on September 10th, 2026.
Tracklist:
01. Tongue Of The Hollow
02. To Whom Would You Answer
03. Back To The World
04. Burden Of Life
05. Cold In Cold Out
06. No Healer
Courtesy of Asher Media:
Canadian (Victoria, BC) songwriter Doug Harrison, best known as the vocalist for progressive rock/metal band Fen, unveils his solo project Slug Comparison’s new EP, »Cold In Cold Out«, available everywhere now. The six‑track collection marks a deliberate shift back toward the project’s introspective, atmospheric roots, trading electric urgency for slow‑burn emotional weight.
Moving away from the upfront rock production of his 2025 album »A Battle To The End Fought On The Edge Of A Knife«, this new offering of »Cold In Cold Out« leans into the spacious, layered acoustic textures reminiscent of Fen’s »Trails Out Of Gloom« that was released on Ripple Music. Across its six tracks, the EP dwells in a depressive, reflective territory, an environment Harrison admits he’s glad to return to. Harrison encourages listeners to experience the EP in full.
”These songs rely more on mood than hooks. The instant gratification isn’t there. The songs are a slow release. For best results, they should be listened to all in a row, privately, and in headphones,” adds Harrison.
The EP’s writing process was an experiment in speed, an attempt to break the long gaps between Fen and Slug Comparison releases. Harrison set out to write and record several songs within a year, ultimately overshooting by only a few months. For the EP, he also collaborated with drummer Randall Stoll (Boulevard, KD Lang, Tom Cochrane), who brought the songs to life in the studio, while Sheldon Zaharko added depth and character through mixing. Harrison handled all writing, arrangement, and instrumentation before drums were added.
Photo credit: Peter Wiholm
The EP unfolds as a sequence of stark, emotionally charged vignettes. »Tongue Of The Hollow« opens the record with an acoustic homage shaped by a verse riff echoing Nirvana’s »Something In The Way«, lyrically telling the story of a dying man surrounded by bewildered cats and soothed only by the upstairs neighbour’s nightly singing. »To Whom Would You Answer« relives a spiraling closed-door encounter with gatekeepers bent on extracting an assurance of loyalty. »Back To The World« reflects on reconnecting with an old friend who has survived a dark chapter, stirring guilt, hope, and a confrontation with one’s own neglected demons. »Burden Of Life« deepens the EP’s somber emotional terrain, while the title track »Cold In Cold Out« meditates on the lonely trial of human existence, its pain, exhaustion, fleeting wonder, and the recurring question of how long it all must continue. The closing piece »No Healer« follows a fevered final journey beneath a jungle canopy, surrendering to whatever forces guide the end of one’s existence.
Recommended for fans of Nirvana, Katatonia, Porcupine Tree, The Pineapple Thief, Fen, and Mark Lanegan, »Cold In Cold Out« offers a brooding, introspective journey into Harrison’s most personal and imaginary songwriting yet.
»Cold In Cold Out« is now on all major streaming platforms: Spotify | Bandcamp
EP recording credits:
• All songs performed by Slug Comparison
• All songs written by Doug Harrison
• Produced by Doug Harrison
• Mixed by Sheldon Zaharko
• Mastered by Brock McFarlane at CPS Mastering
• Album Artwork by Inkantation
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)
EP lineup:
Doug Harrison – Vocals, guitar, bass, programming, songwriting, production
Randall Stoll – Drums
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well