Sludge Metal

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.

Mountain God – Bread Solstice Review

By Treble Yell on April 3, 2017 in American Metal, Artificial Head Records, Post-metal, Reviews, Sludge, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 33 comments

“Post-metal – like it’s nearest neighbor sludge metal – builds upon the foundations laid down by doom, keeping intact the throbbing riffs and ponderous pace while shedding much of the fantasy and occult trappings in favor of a more intellectual, existential outlook. If doom was about the “what” then one could argue post-metal is more about the “why?”” Ask why to the Mountain God.

Sloth Herder – No Pity, No Sunrise Review

By Mark Z. on March 31, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Grimoire Records, Grind, Reviews, Sludge, Black Metal, Sludge Metal, 20 comments

“If you’ve never heard of Frederick, Maryland, then you’re amongst 99.9% of the U.S. population. It’s a Podunk settlement in the western part of the state, composed of little more than a quaint downtown, rolling hills, a few cookie-cutter suburbs, and some scattered golf courses. It also happens to be where yours truly grew up. One dark night years after I moved away, I randomly scoured the web for bands from my musically barren hometown, only to come across Sloth Herder and their Abandon Pop Sensibility EP. Treading the foul line between black metal and grindcore, the record was a lot like Thomas Hobbes’ description of life before society: nasty, brutish, and short.” Hobbs-core has arrived,

Sons of a Wanted Man – Black Days Black Dust Review

By Madam X on March 3, 2017 in 2017, Belgian Metal, Black Metal, Hardcore, Post-metal, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Sludge, Hardcore, Sludge Metal, 33 comments

“Who are Sons of a Wanted Man you ask? In short they’re a fledgling band, hailing from Beringen (Belgium). Citing the influence of Gojira, Deafheaven and Alcest, Sons of a Wanted Man dabble in introspective post-black metal, forcibly heavy sludge and raw hardcore with Black Days Black Dust claiming to journey through beauty and frenzy in equal measure.” This looks suspiciously like an EP….

Thera Roya – Stone and Skin Review

By GardensTale on February 12, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Self-released, Sludge, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 35 comments

“Between post-rock and post-metal, the former is the only genre I prefer over its metal equivalent. In both cases, the genres are known for their atmospherics, long cyclical instrumental sections and overall floaty dreamy attitude. But where post-rock seems to have mastered the art of supplementing the reverberating guitars with great ebb and flow in the composition, post-metal often seems satisfied with turning up distortion and echo and calling it a day.” Post-it notes.

Drude – Drude Review

By GardensTale on February 2, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Sludge, Sludge Metal, 28 comments

“Considering most of you have kitchen scales lying around, it may seem strange that heaviness appears to have a subjective element. While no one will argue Behemoth to be heavier than, say, ABBA, what constitutes the ultimate in aural obesity seems to differ from person to person.” Heavy is as heavy does.

Yer Metal is Olde: Acid Bath – Paegan Terrorism Tactics

By Grymm on January 10, 2017 in American Metal, Rotten Records, Yer Metal Is Olde, Sludge Metal, 31 comments

“Full admission: this is easily one of the toughest Yer Metal is Olde! pieces I have written so far. It’s not so much the flood of memories that comes with the recollection of a particular album’s impact on myself, let alone other music fans. But rather, unlike most inductees, there is a major “What if?” scenario that plays in my head whenever I spin Paegan Terrorism Tactics, the second (and final) album by Louisiana’s bipolar sludge/doom gods Acid Bath.” Olde, and still tragic.

Sithter – Chaotic Fiend Review

By Lord Lucan on December 12, 2016 in 2016, Bonten Records, Doom Metal, Japanese Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 6 comments

When you’re still feeling young and invincible, it’s easy to lose track of the fact that the lifestyle choices you make today can have very real repercussions for your future health and well being. Now while I’m fully aware that this sounds like something your mother might say in an attempt to keep you on the straight and narrow, there is nevertheless a salient point here, and it’s something that Mike Williams is currently all too aware of. “As I write this, the Eyehategod frontman is laid up in a serious condition in hospital, awaiting a liver transplant, with decades of excess finally beginning to take their toll on his fragile body. In spite of his chaotic lifestyle, the speed and ferocity of Williams’ deterioration has still come as a considerable shock to many, so the release of Chaotic Fiend — the latest showing from Japanese Eyehategod worshipers Sithter — comes at a poignant time for both the sludge scene and the metal community as a whole.” Tributes and well wishing.

Season of Arrows – Give It to the Mountain Review

By Lord Lucan on December 7, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Static Tension Recordings, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 12 comments

“Despite the recent rise to prominence of numerous female-driven projects and bands, such as Myrkur, Darkher, and Mortals to name but a few, there’s no denying that metal is still largely the domain of men. Sure there have always been exceptions to the rule — the likes of Girlschool and Kittie have been knocking about for years — but considering there are approximately 3.7 billion of them on this planet, women are still massively underrepresented across the genre.” OCCUPY metal!

Hierophant – Mass Grave Review

By Grymm on November 4, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Sludge, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 20 comments

“when I receive a promo for a band (in this case, Italy’s Hierophant), and the one-sheet that accompanies their fourth album, Mass Graves, states rather emphatically, “No pink unicorns here,” and they still don’t supply us with a promo pic? Prepare for battle, son.” Doom death in the Age of Pink.