VARIOUS ARTISTS - 4 Way Split compilation review

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS - 4 Way Split compilation

Sludgelord Records

Welcome back to the wonderful world of four band compilations. Instead of four bands contributing one song a piece, which kinda sucks, These acts get to include a handful. So basically it's like getting four EPs on one disc. By the way that's a good deal.

As far as the bands go you've got WALLOWING who are a blackened sludge act from England. Sludgelord Records released the band's debut full length, Planet Loss, back in 2019. Their two tacks on here are decent as far as bands performing in that sub genre go.

Next up is a band called THIN and I have no info on them. Basically their a grind band of the newer school chaotic style. Their eight cuts on here are nothing to scream about unless you count what their singer does which is screaming. Their contribution goes into the headache pile. 

They're followed by SLABDRAGGER, a three piece sludge metal act from England. What is up with England's new found sludge rock mania? Basically they're a cross between EYEHATEGOD and the MELVINS on a good day. Their three songs on here are representative of an OK day.

Finally there's VIXEN MAW who again I have no information about. But musically they're noise, grind or whatever the fuck horror inspired experimental stuff you care to call it. I did hear a female voice scream on one of their songs. Personally not my thing but hey you might like em as well as this compilation since the variety is awesome.

LISTEN HERE:

https://sludgelordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/4-way-split?from=fanpub_fnb_pr

OLDE - Pilgrimage review

OLDE - Pilgrimage

Sludgelord Records

Personally after all these years listening to extreme music I must admit. I'm sludged out and stonered to death as far as those two doom sub-genres go. So these days whenever I check out a release by a band playing that style of doom. They've gotta kick some royal ass. And that's coming from a guy who bought his first SABBATH album back in 1974 at the age of ten. So yeah I'm a sucker for bands who got the riffs as long as if they've got a hell lot more. 

Which brings us to this band OLDE and their second full length Pilgrimage. OLDE is a five piece act from Canada. I never heard their debut so this is all fresh to me. So when I was listening to their opening and title track it was like being drawn into something fuckin amazing. You've got the angst ridden barked vocals, bombastic riffs and a huge reliance on atmosphere in their song structures. 

This release is eight cuts worth of all that and plenty of non descriptive genre outliers, fiery guitar noodling and an attitude which defies the would be sludgey elephant in the room analogy if you know what/who I mean. What I love about this band's music is how their songs never get repetitive. A new door is always being opened for the listener to enter and scream "Hell Fuckin Yeah"! OLDE make contemporary sludge metal exciting again.   

LISTEN AND ORDER HERE:

https://sludgelordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrimage

 

WOORMS - Twitching, as Prey review

WOORMS - Twitching, as Prey

Sludgelord Records




WOORMS are a three piece sludge (and much more) band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I learned about em last year via their debut full length, Slake. I thought that album was decent with the exception of their overuse of samples and other extras. You had a good band underneath all of the shiny wrappings. Plus they were not going to be defined by that whole NOLA sound. 


This their second full length is probably a true personification of this band. The first album showed promise and this one let's their character show. Lots of cool things going on here. A good portion of this ten track album is filled with muck covered, swamp thing like MELVINS' style sludge. I'm talking about heavy handed bass riffs, tribal drumwork, decent enough guitars but vocals that are seething with comtept as if a head rose from the depths and cursed you.


Other times there's some acid head jamming which I think is cool as long as it's heavy. Next the SABBATH - ian grooves kick in on some cuts and then it's basically a return to that Desert Sessions stuff from their first album. Throw in a hint of good WHITE ZOMBIE and you've got headbanging plus slam pit action. In the end this falls into that category as a great listening experience. 


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/twitching-as-prey

https://www.facebook.com/WOORMS-820255734812259/

HERON - Time Immemorial review

HERON - Time Immemorial

Sludgelord Records




HERON are a four piece sludge metal act from Vancouver, Canada who I first learned about in 2018 via their debut full length A Low Winter's Sun. I thought that release was damm good. A very heavy and electric crunch sounding album. I even gave em a slight YOB comparison. 


But HERON are not your typical sludge heavy for the sake of heaviness type of act. They actually write song cool tunes. So I'm kinda glad they're still around. On this their second full length they're still sans a bassist. Letting the duel guitars and drums to do all the damage to your psyche. The vocals are still part harsh abrasive screams and part bestial growls.


Now what's cool is that the band isn't repeating what came forth on their debut. On here some of the songs come off as more melodic with a dark atmospheric touch. Sure HERON is still in the business of brutalizing your senses with other cuts. But they also lay out some haunting sounds that kinda coincide with our current event status (aka: Pandemic 2020). 


Without going into more of the present day depressives of the time. I don't play happy music to mask the obvious. So HERON right now meets my needs to face the obvious bleak future. Don't freak out, it's sludge metal and not death doom. Plus their final cut "Endless" does leave you wanting more. So I hope there's always going to be more from HERON. 



https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/time-immemorial

https://www.facebook.com/heronsludge

GOBLINSMOKER - A Throne in Haze A World Ablaze review

GOBLINSMOKER - A Throne in Haze A World Ablaze

Sludgelord Records


Here we have the second part of the Toad King trilogy by England's blackened stoner/sludge act GOBLINSMOKER. Back in 2018 I reviewed this band's debut EP, Toad King. While that three song outing was a fuzzy and ugly piece of work which crawled along at a pace that would've tired out a turtle. For this new one they've just doubled down on the concept.


A Throne in Haze A World Ablaze continues to tell the story of the Toad King. Think of it as Tolkien being dragged through a hellish Lovecraftian nightmare of black mire and slime. The Toad King is the discontented ruler of the goblins. Their forest realm is the place where goblin subjects willingly sacrifice themselves to be smoked by their King. As much as the stoner doom aspect is being projected. I doubt the burning of putrid goblin carcasses smells like sweet Hashish.


Musically GOBLINSMOKER, now a three piece act, still stand in that traditional English style of stoner doom and sludge. No need to name drop any of their peers since you probably get the idea. Although the blackened rasp vocals do give it a filthy edge over these, once again, three tracks.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Goblinsmoker

TIDES OF SULFUR - Paralysis of Reason EP review

TIDES OF SULFUR - Paralysis of Reason EP

Sludgelord Records




You ever try to fit a square peg into a round hole? I'm speaking metaphorically of course not literally, don't be an idiot. So yeah if it doesn't work then you move on. TIDES OF SULFUR are a band that makes it work. What we have here is a three piece sludge metal act from the UK that combine plenty of outside influences into their brand of extremism.


TIDES OF SULFUR are not relatively new to the music scene. They've been around since 2011 and over time have accumulated a nice bunch of releases. I'm talking about an EP, a split release, a full length which came out in 2016 and a compilation of old stuff aka: Pot of Piss at the End of the Rainbow which they put out in 2015. 


Now getting back to influences musically TIDES OF SULFUR start out with a somewhat familiar Southern US style of sludge as a canvas. Next they pelt it with savage yet simplistic punk rock aggressiveness. Toss in some death metal groove, blackened vocals and a bunch of samples. It's definitely a throwback to the late 80s with an acknowledgement to modern extreme metal. You could easily hear this as grindcore played slow. It's definitely one of the more exciting things coming out of the UK. 

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/paralysis-of-reason

https://www.facebook.com/TidesOfSulfur

WOORMS - Slake review

WOORMS - Slake

Sludgelord Records




I've made my opinion plain in the past that as far as experimentation in extreme metal goes. If the goal is just to be different for the sake of difference then it's lost to me. The whole idea of experimentation is to create something unique, something better and maybe enjoyable. Of course sometimes the experiment doesn't succeed it's perceived goals. Which reminds me of an old joke. How do you say bullshit in French? Avant-Garde.


Case in point here we have the debut release by WOORMS, a three piece sludge band from the great state of Louisiana. I can understand that this band doesn't want to be just like their NOLA neighbors. I'll give em points for that. Don't let your environment define you. WOORMS does a great job at that part mixing up sludgey grooves, pushing out some OM vibes while also visiting the Desert Sessions sound from the late 1990s. I'll even say they toss in some early 90's era sounds of what modern day music historians like to call "post rock". We, who were around back then, just called it a punk fuckin rock influence.


Now with all of that said some of this is cool by my old school standards of enjoyment. But then WOORMS do go off the rails into territory that even the BUTTHOLE SURFERS in their heyday wouldn't touch. I'm talking grungy noise with spoken word sound bites. I'm talking whatafuck is up with the Gregorian chanted opener? Why are there so many samples? This ain't brutal death grind which kinda relies on all of that. In the end look it's their debut release and there is a cool band within all the outer wrapping.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/slake


https://www.facebook.com/WOORMS-820255734812259/

VOUS AUTRES - Champ du sang review

VOUS AUTRES - Champ du sang

Sludgelord Records




A week ago my boss came up to me and asked if there was a full moon out because two people called out. I told him no because if there was I'd be outside running around naked being chased by professionals. Needless to say when I listened to this the first time it gave me that same sensation of ripping one's self away and running free. What this French two piece blackened sludge act does is not groundbreaking. But as with most Sludgelord Records releases it takes a Doom genre staple and gives it a refreshing take. 


I really am in awe of this release whether it's the full on aggression or the tranquil tones this duo plays with as if they're gods of the darkness tinkering with our lives. I'd come home from work late at night, pop open a beer and listen to this release as if it was my sustenance. Frankly it's a more instrumental piece but when the seething harsh vocals do come forth they're like stab wounds. We're talking an hour's worth of torture as well as pleasure here and there. What with a huge sloth of melancholy pared with a dark labyrinth of sound, imagination and a comfort zone set on the prescience of evil.


This release falls into a category I like to call mood music. It's something you play just for yourself. Don't share it with others. Turn it on, most likely late at night, and just let the waves of sounds whether thunderous or atmospheric wash over you. 


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/champ-du-sang

https://www.facebook.com/vousautresband/

TAR PIT - Tomb Of Doom review

TAR PIT - Tomb Of Doom

Sludgelord Records




Thankfully I don't get hangovers from drinking anymore or this would've been misery early in the morning on my initial listen. Not that I don't drink anymore because that would be bullshit. I just drink good quality craft IPA beers now. I've been doing it for ten years now thanks to a good friend who got me to switch from quantity to quality. Hey I can afford it. But on this particular morning I was not in the mood even though I had a deadline which was "Shit! I'm a month behind in reviewing stuff."


Fast forward to a week later and I'm drinking. But the music, which sounds like my cool 70's hard rock output ground down to liquid and added to a molasses drip into my veins, is still loud as fuck. Here we have the debut album by TAR PIT, a sludgey, doom band hailing from Portland, Oregon. I've seen a band photo and they don't look like hipsters, well there is one big fat beardo guy in a WINDHAND shirt? But lets move on because I'm kidding around.

My first thought was what, where's the photo of the La Brea Tar Pit model kit with the mastodon stuck in the tarpits? Like this one below which I had as a kid?

If you're gonna raid your dad's record collection for influences you might as well ask him what else was up in the 70's. Be that as it may this here is airy hypnotic doom minus the female vocals which normally accompany it as the trend goes. Yeah after a few years you get tired of that female white privilege thing. But hey TAR PIT, points for a cool name to start with. Second part, huge points for not being an atypical sludgey doom act from the Northwest. I'm thinking someone in this band heard some Leslie West. 


In the end I'm loving every second of this release. The sustained breaks which do not repeat past grooves but introduce new ones. The vocals aired out as if they're cries from the past. The total abandonment of stoner cliche grooves and incorporation of a touch and go fuck yourself we'll do it our way attitude towards the song structuring. Even when they're doing an obvious Geezer Butler SABBATH-ian bass groove on "Bruja", they rip it a new asshole. Seriously, and yes I can be, this band as well as release are what you want to hear a lot in 2019. 


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/tomb-of-doom

https://www.facebook.com/tarpitdoom/

YATRA - Death Ritual review

YATRA - Death Ritual

Sludgelord Records




For those of you who don't know it, Sludgelord Records has an incredible record in finding quality doom genre bands from all over the globe. This time around we have something close to my home, well I can drive there. YATRA is a three piece act hailing from the holy land of US Doom (that's Maryland for you ignorant hipster types. I know you wanna say Brooklyn but no you would be wrong.)


While I was first listening to this my thoughts were well they'll never ever open up for SLEEP. I say that not as being negative towards this band. It's just that they sound a lot like SLEEP. That's not a bad thing these days for me. Personally I look at SLEEP as a nostalgia band. They got back together, well two thirds of em, for the money. So now they play for hipsters at fests who need their famous band cards punched and to sell some merch.


But as far as this release goes, musically it's SABBATH-ian stoner doom. What makes it stand out the most is guitarist Dana Helmuth’s vocals which come across as a drunk reptilian. Plus I like the savage wah wah pedal leads he cuts loose every once in a while. All in all I think this is a top notch release. We fans need a forerunner and here it is. Besides this is cheaper to buy then that last SLEEP release.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/merch/yatra-death-ritual-limited-edition-12-vinyl-pre-order

https://grimoirerecords.bandcamp.com/album/death-ritual

https://www.facebook.com/yatradoom/

ORYX - Born into Madness EP review

ORYX - Born into Madness EP

Sludgelord Records




There's nothing like coming home from work early in the morning (I'm talking between 2:30 and 3 AM), sitting down with a beer and then checking out something new from Sludgelord Records to review. Of course a few seconds after I push play the fuckin windows start rattling from the sound being too high. Yes this happens on a regular basis with their releases which is actually a good thing. Thankfully I have a house with neighbors not so close as to disturb them. Not like the old days when I use to get complaints from neighbors as well as roommates. 


Which brings up a true story, sorry but I have to. I had this female roommate years ago and her boyfriend would come over to fuck her. So I'd be in the other room and playing black metal really loud in order to not hear them. She was a loud one but anyways she told me once that my music was hindering him. In other words me blasting black metal meant he couldn't get it up. Whatafuck? I'm sorry but I had to share that one. 


So how can I segue that last paragraph to this release? Well ORYX is a Denver two piece sludge metal act with a guy on guitar and screaming plus a woman on drums. They've recently added a guy on bass and we don't need to mention names. But here we have a two song EP of basically Sludge-core. Now I'm sure your typical "I'm Metal & No It All" person will say; Mr. Wolf, there's no need to create new sub-genre metal terms. That's what hipsters do."


My answer to that is simple. Back in the late 90s during the second wave of Stoner Rock / Sludge Metal (there's another debate but anyways) you had a few acts out there who were totally into EYEHATEGOD but had screamers from hardcore acts as vocalists. For the most part on this two song extravaganza of sludge hate the vocals are harsh, caustic hardcore screaming. I say for the most part because there's some death growls thrown in for effect.


Still it's only two cuts and this band, who have been around since 2012 and have three previous full length releases out, are showing on here a magnificent approach of sludge chaos yet refined with albeit loud atmosphere laden passages which reach out to the cosmos. You listen to this release five or six times in a row and you'll be in outer space reaching for something. I'm dying to hear what they do next.



https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/born-into-madness

https://www.facebook.com/theeoryx

GOBLINSMOKER - Toad King EP review

GOBLINSMOKER - Toad King EP

Sludgelord Records




Ah those English, they just love their ugly, fuzzy and haunting doom. Much like some of their classic horror films that don't have a traditional monster of legend. But instead it's something either not of this world or from it and we wanna put it back where it belongs.


With that said here we have GOBLINSMOKER a two piece English act who on this their debut EP have melded their love of stoner doom with the creepy harshness of black metal. Call this fuzzy and ugly which crawls along at a pace that would tire out a turtle.


Toad King is only three semi long tracks but with this style of molting goo edging it's way into your conscientiousness why would you need more. As far as the heaviness goes it's nothing new so it's the harsh vocals as well as gripping atmosphere which makes this well worth listening.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/toad-king

https://www.facebook.com/Goblinsmoker/

SHALLOW GRAVE - Threshold Between Worlds review

SHALLOW GRAVE - Threshold Between Worlds 

Sludgelord Records




Here's the type of release you play after a day/night of bullshit hard work, you've got beer or maybe something stronger and this band's four tracks carry you the fuck away. Well that was the first time I checked it out and I actually had a hangover the following day.


Here's the sophomore full-length from a New Zealand atmospheric sludge/post metal act who by the way have a former member of ULCERATE in their line-up. That later part did peek my interest since guitarist Michael Rothwell plays on the only ULCERATE release I could handle.


With that said this is a far cry from Tech Death. What we have here is plenty of dissonant guitars, feedback, ambient noise and of course wretched vocals. This all reminds me a bit like the noise rock of late 80's/early 90's New York City. Or more commonly known as heroin music.


This is four cuts by the way, three long and one short. The opener, "The Horrendous Abyss", actually displays some character while the other three are basically chaotic. This is the result of having a practice space two doors down from a PORTAL copy cat act with a one man opioid addict into SUNN-O)) in-between. Sure it's cool but I'd probably like it a lot more if I was on a three day vodka bender. 

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/threshold-between-worlds

https://www.facebook.com/ShallowGraveDoom 

DRUGLORD - New Day Dying review

DRUGLORD - New Day Dying 

Sludgelord Records




Hey it's stoner doom from Richmond, Virginia go figure right? Yeah sure we're talking about a city where on any given day in a practice space the words "Dude hold the joint I feel like Iomni" are uttered. What, do you note a hint of sarcasm here? Well I don't even smoke the stuff but I get confused at times. At first I thought wait a minute, didn't this band just put out a release? Ah no, that would be DOPELORD or was it DOPETHRONE? Oh well who cares. Just smoke pot eat twat and smile a lot right?


Be that as it may here is an actual full length release by this Virginia three piece. I use the word "actual" because their previous releases were two EPs and a full length which was more like an EP. I have their first EP and heard the other two. A few years back they played a show here. That was back when Greta Brinkman was still on bass. Greta and drummer Bobby Hufnell were both in a cool 80's hardcore band I saw back in the day called UNSEEN FORCE. Of course after their set that night a friend and I talked with em about UNSEEN FORCE instead of DRUGLORD. Ironically enough they admitted to getting asked about their former band a lot.



But I digress, New Day Dying is definitely a step up from their previous material. Not much of a step but in general terms it's still a step. The seven songs on here are a sludge du jour. You get a fuzzed out wall of noise that's concise as far as song structures go. There's no dragging forever riffage which other similar acts torture you with. There's some actual leads which cut through the haze and give the songs more bite. It also gives things a 70's hard rock edge as well as a touch of nostalgia. Along with his guitar playing Tommy Hamilton also has a decent harsh devious snarl to his vocals. With all of that I think DRUGLORD has finally stepped out of the crowded stoner sludge genre field with this one.



https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/

https://druglord.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DruglordVA/

TONGUE EATING LOUSE - Voidwalker review

TONGUE EATING LOUSE - Voidwalker

Sludgelord Records




When I first listened to this it reminded me of my feelings of a employee at work who is slow and I have hateful thoughts toward. That was just the first song. But hey there's only three cuts on this full length albeit they're long. And at times it's headache drivin much like the employee I have to deal with.


TONGUE EATING LOUSE hail from Ontario, Canada. They're a four piece act which mixes sludge rock with this post something or other screaming aggro vocals which touches on core. To be totally honest the screaming harpie on vocals can get annoying. Why is he so aggro? He's Canadian and they have free health care? Thankfully there's much more going on here.


Musically the band has some prog influence which creates a big bold sound at times. Part of it is aggressive and other times it's tranquil on a razor's edge. As far as the music goes I like it a lot. This is the third release by TONGUE EATING LOUSE. Prior to this they've put out, since starting out in 2013, an EP and a split with HUNTER/GATHERER.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/voidwalker

https://www.facebook.com/tongueeatinglouse

HUSH - Untitled II review

HUSH - Untitled II

Sludgelord Records





So when I first saw this I was thinking hmmm HUSH, I wonder if they're gonna sound like DEEP PURPLE? Of course when I played it ah no it was not. Instead I was greeted by slow music with a guy screaming as if he was caught in a bear trap behind my house. Hey I don't like strangers walking in the woods behind my house. But anyway after one listen I decided another pot of coffee was in order.


HUSH is a five piece act outta Albany, New York. So while I'm listening to this I'm reminded of years ago when a lot of hardcore records were recorded at 45 rpm. But normally if it was a LP you played it at 33 1/3 speed. So you hear it slow and once in a while you'd be partying and play it slow for your friends at the house just for the hell of it. Then some asshole would show up and be like "Dude I love the MELVINS, I mean Gluey Porch Treatments rules. Ah hey can I get a beer?"


HUSH is a band that I've seen many times over the decades albeit they had different names. In other words HUSH are slow as in dragging more ass than an alligator. The vocals are pain ridden, deep vocal cries from (choose one: a post apocalyptic nightmare, a hellish abyss of torture or my ex-wife's bedroom). Actually this is sludge from the early days which is cool and then the band hits up with a grandiose revival of explosiveness.


HUSH reminds me of a time in 1989. I was at a local club and there was this band from Boston playing this same slow brand of music. Now like I said it was 1989 and the term sludge metal wasn't coined to the whole public lexicon. So this band was playing slow and the crowd of punks in the pit didn't know what to do. At times it was like they were high on ludes trudging through mud.


This is HUSH's fourth release overall. They've put out two EPs and a full length prior to this one. Honestly anything that has a old school sound, is punishing in riffs and pounding bass plus pain ridden vocals is a winner in my book.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-ii

https://www.facebook.com/hushdoom

KIELKROPF - Ignorance Is Bliss review

KIELKROPF - Ignorance Is Bliss 

Sludgelord Records




If there's one thing I can say about Sludgelord Records, whether or not I like their releases, is that they do not troll the typical musical havens of trendy-ness and bandwagon jumping. Instead they comb the world of obscurity for the acts they release stuff by. Now as far as this one goes, it's another unique act that begs for your attention.


Here we have a four song EP by KIELKROPF an Austrian four piece who are not pushing boundaries, thank you very much. On the contrary they're touching on the past ready to kick your ass. Think of the second wave heydays of US sludge (that would be the late 90s for you kids) meets MOTORHEAD and KILLDOZER in a pub. Think of all the bands on those Southern Lord Records samplers (I've still got two of em).


KIELKROPF know how to give you some head banging groove as well as drag you slowly across a rip-rap covered ditch. Yeah "ouch, that's gonna leave a mark" is one way of putting it. This is heavy fuckin handed stuff by a band whose vocalist and guitarist were once in an Austrian metalcore act, FISCHHALLE, back in the 90s.Yes recognizing pain and misery does come with the retrospect of age. Trust me I know.


Look people if what I've written does not in the least bit excite your Doom sensibilities then you're either dead or still listening to an Athens, Georgia sludge metal playlist on Last FM which by the way is one in the same. Yes it's been a decade but I still hate hipsters. Be that as it may so hey people if you're into something old school but not contrived (hell they're from fuckin Austria which means it's impossible for em to be contrived) then this is for you. Trust me it's one of the best things in this genre you'll hear in 2018.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/

https://kielkropf.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kielkropf/ 

KiTE - The All Penetrating Silence review

KiTE - The All Penetrating Silence

Sludgelord Records




I'm a fan of the releases put out by Sludgelord Records mainly because although the bands they put forth do follow the sludge/stoner rock path. The route is littered with deep potholes, cracks and signs of erosion from past heavies. So their bands tend to jump around a lot as well as stepping off to the sides in order to traverse.


Case in point, here we have a four song EP by the Norwegian three piece act KiTE. This band actually started out years ago in the late 90s. They went through the usual line-up changes route, honed their sound and put out some releases. They were last heard from in 2007 with their self released full length, The 
Hook, The Line, The Sinker. 


Now the reason for the long gap comes about because of commitments the band members had to their other projects. But now after a long delay the band is in dedication mode. The four cuts on here definitely display a band who has one foot still planted in 2007 (and maybe in the late 90s) as well another stepping forward albeit a small one.


Honestly I've heard this band before but they weren't called KiTE, were from the US and put out an EP as well which of course ended up in a record store's used bin. Actually I've heard a few bands like this since the 90's. Think sludge with touches of grunge, sometimes clean or caustic vocals and a hint at the element of psych.


At one point I'm thinking of a crowd headbanging along to their music. Then again I can easily envision an insane slampit commencing. I remember seeing a similar act locally in a small club downtown last year. I walked out onto the back patio after two songs and stayed out there till their set (which I could still hear) ended. They couldn't pull it off, then again they were hipsters copying others. KiTE does pull it off very well.


https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/the-all-penetrating-silence

https://www.facebook.com/kitenorway

HERON - A Low Winter's Sun review

HERON - A Low Winter's Sun 

Sludgelord Records




This is kinda loud as in do not play when you're hungover in the morning. Given a choice of hearing this at 6 AM or my roommate's dogs barking, I'll take the fuckin dogs. I mean if she blasted this early in the morning I'd get out of bed, rip my door off it's hinges and scream "Are You Fuckin Kidding Me!" 


We're talking loud and heavy handed sludge metal here people. On a scale of 1 to 10 with YOB being an 8 I'd give this a 7 1/2. Of course 10 is reserved for people who run passed you on fire because they're loud. Ya know they never run up to and say "Help Help I'm on Fire." Instead they just run past ya screaming "Ahhhhhhhh!" I always thought that was strange.


But anyways HERON are a fairly new four piece sludge metal act from Vancouver, Canada. They're the latest find from Sludgelord Records, who definitely have a pedigree when it comes to finding some cool stuff. This is HERON's debut full length. Prior to this they've put out two EPs since their inception in 2014. Two cuts on here were also on their last EP. 


Other than having the ability of cranking it up in decibels the band has a knack for injecting some pleasant melody or atmosphere if you will. What breaks HERON from the norm (or full on comparisons) is their lack of a bass player, duo vocals (one bestial, one burnt throat) and the use of various sound bites.


As a whole I like this release a lot but that's because of my particular tastes as far as this genre goes. They're not full on proggy which I hate. They keep up with the straight traditional sound. And unlike what their name suggests they're not pushing that junkie chic drugged out shit. Just for the record the word "heron" is ghetto slang for heroin as in "Goin up ta Durham to score sum heron." Nuff Said.


http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/a-low-winters-sun

https://www.facebook.com/herondoom

TWINGIANT - Mass Driver Reissue review

TWINGIANT - Mass Driver Reissue

Sludgelord Records




There are a variety of reasons for a label to reissue a band's previous work. The most obvious is it being a rare sought after item of musical importance. The second reason is trying to cash in on a band's modern popularity. The third is devotion and I believe that's where Sludgelord Records comes in with this one.


TWINGIANT hail from Phoenix, Arizona and they basically play a brand of Southern sludge/stoner rock in a vein that I think sounds like combining MASTODON with ALABAMA THUNDER PUSSY as well as a few other traditional Southern sludge acts. The vocals are more of the death doom metal monster variety. It's a cool pairing. So last year TWINGIANT put out a full length Blood Fued on Argonauta Records (a cool label by the way). The release is damm good. You've got those barked vocals combined with the typical sludge mud fest but with some sweet hypnotic grooves.


But even with that said it's still a connisuer of the genre release. It's like Nepalese black metal. Who really cares how good it is as long as it sits in the grass of the radar screen. Well diehards for the most part will be into it. Which brings us to this, TWINGIANT's debut full length which was self released and originally came out in 2012. Sludgelord Records, bonifide devotees to the genre and giving the worthy their due, have reissued it. Like I said earlier it's devotion, a rare quantity in extreme metal these days.

Even though there's five years separating Mass Driver from Blood Fued (along with an EP, a full length and a split) the needle hasn't moved too far from the starting point. Hey look if something works don't fuck with it, just improve a bit on it. On here the band had more touches of ambiance. There's a slight variety in the vocals. And there's definitely more MASTODON influence. But it's still a damm good sounding release but then the good people at Sludgelord Records already knew that.


As I'm writing this, WEEDEATER is playing forty minutes away from here. I had to work tonight but even so my friends were begging me to go. We've got an extra ticket Wolf, come on! Ya know what, I've seen WEEDEATER a half dozen times. But if this band rolled into town, hey I'd be there. Nuff Said.

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https://twingiant.bandcamp.com/album/mass-driver

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