Down

Transport League – A Million Volt Scream Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 16, 2019 in 2019, Hard Rock, Mighty Music, Reviews, Sludge, Swedish Metal, Hard Rock, Sludge, 13 comments

“If you’re like me, you’ve probably never heard of Sweden’s Transport League. Formed way back in 1994, they knocked out four full-length discs before breaking up in 2005. During this time, TL played an in-your-face sludge style that combined the hard knocks of Clutch with the ghoulish qualities of Rob Zombie and the Southern flavors of Down and Pantera. After dabbling in the industrial world for a few years with their band M.A.N., the boys decided to give Transport League another try.” League of the unextraordinary.

Damn Your Eyes – Kill the Outside Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 5, 2019 in 2019, Adrenaline PR, American Metal, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, Reviews, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, 11 comments

“Though absurd on so many levels, let’s imagine what it would be like to combine the aggressiveness of Down’s ‘Lifer’ and the catchiness of ‘On March the Saints’ with the comeback power of Machine Head’s ‘Imperium’ and the apocalyptic ‘Halo,’ all wrapped up in VH1’s second favorite grunge band, Alice in Chains. That must mean Damn Your Eyes’ debut record, Kill the Outside, sounds like ‘Aesthetics of Hate’-meets-‘Down in a Hole’-meets-‘Bury Me in Smoke,’ right? Wrong.” Damn you ears.

Mule Skinner – Airstrike Review

By Saunders on September 4, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, F.O.A.D. Records, Grind, Reviews, Sludge, Death Metal, Grind, Sludge, 43 comments

“Through my obsession with Acid Bath, I developed a taste for other trailblazing NOLA bands, from Soilent Green, Eyehategod, Down and Crowbar, to lesser known acts, like underrated grind maestros Flesh Parade and Mule Skinner. The latter act released a gem of a lone LP in 1996 called Abuse that I snagged a CD copy of many moons ago.” Skin to win.

Against the Grain – Cheated Death Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 9, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Doom Metal, Hard Rock, Reviews, Ripple Music, Sludge, Doom Metal, Hard Rock, Sludge Metal, 0 comments

“There’re are few bands in the world that you can look at, or listen to, and say, ‘yeah, those dudes fucking know the road.’ And, while there aren’t many that would trump the almighty Motörhead, there’re those that share the punkish gonads, the old-school blues, and the electrifying energy of Lemmy & Co. Against the Grain know the road and dominate the Midwest.” The road is a grainy place.

Forgotten Tomb – We Owe You Nothing Review

By Akerblogger on November 3, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Italian Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Sludge, 41 comments

“Forgotten Tomb’s recent output has taken on a chunkier form – thick chord patterns becoming the prominent mode of expression. Their depressive black metal escapades of the early 2000s eradicated: the icy sheen of their stabbing tremolo making way for swampier humidity.” King of the Swamp or merely soggy?

Stump Tail Dolly – Soundtrack to the Second Civil War Review

By Mark Z. on September 6, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Black Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, 80 comments

“To paraphrase Jurassic Park’s Ian Malcolm, we were so preoccupied with whether or not we could, we never stopped to think if we should. Yet here it is: a Nashville quartet who bill themselves as a fusion of country and metal, complete with twangy guitars, honkytonk fiddle, rudimentary attempts at extreme metal, and shit-kicking rhythms pulled straight from the Bumfuck County square dance.” Wrong Turn: the Musical.

Silius – Hell Awakening Review

By Dr. Wvrm on September 5, 2017 in 2017, Austrian Metal, Groove Metal, Massacre Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“This site has no shortage of writers that enjoy a good face-peel, so thrash albums typically fly off the shelves. Add a cute little “groove/” tag to the front and suddenly you can’t move that shit for a ticket to one of Doc Grier’s famous tea parties. But not all groove is equal, as the entirely serious Silius wants us to remember.” Groove is in the heart.

Cortez – The Depths Below Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 1, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Rock, Salt of the Earth Records, Sludge, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Rock, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 17 comments

“It’s occurred to me that when I go stoner, more times than not, I tend to lean against bands just west of me. Bands like Kyuss, Sleep, High on Fire—all residing in sunny California. Funny enough, my favorite stoner outfit is all the way out in England. Hell, if you were to look at my stoner collection, you’d think Orange Goblin was an outlier and that stoner metal was an American thing. And my review of Temptation’s Wings newest record wouldn’t challenge that assumption. And now, the stoner bug has bit old Grier once again. I desire something to make my eyes puffy, my ears happy, and chill me the fuck out.” Lead or gold?

Goatwhore – Vengeful Ascension Review

By Saunders on June 23, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Sludge, Southern Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Sludge, Southern Metal, 15 comments

“Some 20 years ago, several prominent NOLA scene members activated Goatwhore and a new beast and underground supergroup was born, most notably featuring Acid Bath/Crowbar axeslinger Sammy Duet and Soilent Green frontman Ben Falgoust. It took a while before Goatwhore perfected their blasphemous style of sludgy, death-infused black metal, striking pay-dirt with the back-to-back punch of 2006’s A Haunting Curse and 2009’s Carving Out the Eyes of God. Since then they’ve been treading water with a couple of solid but less engaging albums, lacking the staying power of their best work.” Goats are excellent swimmers.

Longhouse – II: Vanishing Review

By Madam X on April 13, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Sludge, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 19 comments

“It’s worth remembering that the past shapes the future and every story has a takeaway, be it uplifting or perhaps more sobering. As the creative genius behind Longhouse, Joshua Cayer, uses a mixture of doom, sludge and post-metal to recount stories of the Algonquin First Nations and more specifically, of his family’s community, the Kitigan Zibi. Situated in Maniwaki, a town developed on land that once belonged to the Kitigan Zibi Reserve, Longhouse focuses on Quebec, though they hail from Ottawa, Canada.” Blackened roots.