Warcrab - The Howling Silence

 

I have been covering Warcrab in some capacity or another for over a decade almost purely because I thought there logo was badass when I was sixteen. Since then it's been a delight to watch these UK death sludge masters slowly evolve as a band, bringing in intense new performances and vicious visions to the table in order to make their music ever more crushing with each passing album. Now on The Howling Silence, their fourth full length, the band shows once more exactly why so many of us have been mesmerized with War Crab for so long. 

This album features some wonderfully massive tone. The wall of sound effect that comes crashing down around your ears on songs like "Sword Of Mars" is palpable. The bands ability to bring the crush seems to have only been augmented, with more flashy solos and more devastating rhythm assaults than ever. This record feels like perhaps the angriest Warcrab release yet, and also the one with the most insane guitar playing. The band has really leaned into some of the most fun aspects of their sound, making for a much more compelling listening experience sure to keep listeners engaged and curious to delve ever deeper into what's been done. 

The Howling Silence is a fitting next step for Warcrab. Out once more on their longstanding label Transcending Obscurity, Warcrab have found a way to manipulate and develop their trademark formula into something more powerful than ever. This is a really fun and engaging listen, a record that leans into some of the darkest sides of the sound but also which is unafraid to shred your face off with a delightfully fast guitar solo. This is definitely something worth thinking your teeth into and falling in love with again and again. 

Pre-order the album!

https://warcrabuk.bandcamp.com/album/the-howling-silence

Full of Hell/Primitive Man - Suffocating Hallucination

There are very few releases that come out that one might describe as 'cripplingly heavy'. Many bands today simply lack the studio expertise or desire to become that crushing. However, when two of the heaviest bands in the underground, Full of Hell and Primitive Man team up, you know you are in for something punishingly loud, and this case, triumphantly sludgy. Such is the case with the devastating new offering from these projects, Suffocating Hallucination. An album that feels like the culmination of years of friendship, this is a terrifying, soul crushing release. 

Suffocating Hallucination impresses because of the sheer terror that the band so easily conjures up throughout the release. Songs like "Rubble Home" are simply apocalyptic in scale, it's hard not to be enamored with the devastating volume and execution on display here. While the record certainly seems to lean more towards Primitive Man's sludge than Full of Hell's death grind, the added personnel seem to really fill out the sound and give it flavors that any individual release from either band would ever have. Blasts of speed provide a fitting counterpoint to the brooding riffs. It's interesting - these are both groups who historically have sounded crushingly ugly, but in very different ways. Hearing them push each other further down these paths of sonic depravity is wonderfully rewarding, if not a little terrifying. 

This is certainly not an album for the faint of heart or for those just getting into heavy music. Suffocating Hallucination is more the gem you find at the bottom of the treasure chest, after you've dug through these groups vast and fascinating discographies to unveil a precious stone that brilliantly reflects some of the most gloriously demented sides of each project. Full Of Hell and Primitive Man are well respected and beloved favorites in the underground for a reason. Suffocating Hallucination is just another layer to their devastating legacies. 

Pre-order the album!

https://fullofhell.bandcamp.com/album/suffocating-hallucination

Strigoi - Viscera

Strigoi are a truly potent project emerging from the ashes of Vallenyfyre to craft their own brand of metal magic. What makes Viscera interesting is how the bands distinctly unsettling take on riff-heavy sludge and death metal has really started to coalesce into something identifiable and fascinating. The crushing assault of a track like "Hollow" is thrilling, and even as you listen you can feel yourself getting dragged into a bloody pit of horror. The suffocating crush that the band has managed to piece together is truly thrilling and twisted. 

The quality of the performances is also something that shouldn't be ignored. The compositions are deep and a lot of the songwriting here is just on another level. The assault of this record is gut wrenching and spine tingling at best. The sense of internal torment that the band so eagerly ties into their music is disturbingly relatable. The growls, with their clear enunciation and bottom scraping girth are strangely entrancing and will keep you enamored and unable to look away from what has been crafted here. Strigoi have found a way to unveil the negative and navigate listeners into a world of internal torment that we can all find solace in. 

As you immerse yourself in the crunch of Viscera it becomes increasingly clear that Strigoi have really taped into something wonderfully human on this record and it is weirdly easy to connect with what has been unveiled before us here. Strigoi is a one of a kind band and a project that seems to have a clear direction and sense for its own twisted future. Letting yourself get lost in these genre blurring layers is delightful and speaks to the groups capacity as songwriters. This is genre hopping extreme metal done right and you need it in your life.

Pre-order the album!

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/StrigoiViscera

Aeir - A Frith Befouled

 

Aeir is an international collaboration featuring members of Lightbearer, Momentum and Basement. It's an album that builds where Lightbearer left off, crafting progressive sludge with all sorts of glorious larger than life elements. A Frith Befouled is a dynamic and thrilling offering that continually pushes the boundaries of what sludge can be, thanks to some top notch songwriting and glorious production. This record goes far beyond the eye rolling tropes that a genre tag like 'progressive sludge' might suggest and becomes something greater.

As a rule the musicianship on A Firth Befouled is absolutely top notch, a transcendent offering that particular shines with the variety of vocal delivery styles from epic resonant cleans to potent growls and even harsh vocals that feel like they owe more to screamo than anything else. The end result is a record that is diverse and powerful, that draws the listener in and leaves them in awe of the creation that has been bestowed upon us. This is a metal record that oftentimes feels larger than life, full of moments of transcendence and an overarching vision that is sure to keep even the snobbiest of listeners fascinated for at least a few spins. 

A Frith Befouled is a truly delectable offering and one that I think many devout listeners are going to find themselves deeply in love with for a variety of reasons. This is an album that benefits from its diversity of sound and keeps a clear vision throughout in order to unveil something greater that I think fans across the heavy music spectrum are going to enjoy. A Frith Befouled only hints at what's to come I think, and that has me truly excited, because this is an offering that suggests this band could get even tighter and more impressive. 

Pre-order the album!

https://momentofcollapserecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-frith-befouled

Hush - The Pornography Of Ruin

 

Hush have been leaving listeners in awe for a decade now with their unique brand of post metal fusing crushing sludge with dreamy post rock parts. The end result is a record that is transcendent at its finest, an album that sees years of discipline and songwriting get refined into something grander that will draw you in with gorgeous soundscapes and picture perfect production, and then bash your skull in with riff after riff after riff. It's a match made in heaven and makes for a record that will keep you coming back lusting for more. 

The Pornography Of Ruin is a crusher any way you slice it. In a scene where so often it feels like sludge metal has been done every which way with no real path forward for the genre, Hush have found a way to make it work. Their sound is visionary and unique, fusing ideas from their peers but executing them in ways that are exciting and wholly their own. Very few other bands can deliver with the aplomb of Hush. It's a delight to really let yourself get immersed in this legacy of volume and to experience the power of a band who have turned it all the way up. This is sludge done right, with a unique vision for the future and the desire to leave listeners in awe. 

The New York heavy music scene has cranked out some real winners in recent years, and Hush is among them. This is a unique and powerful band who have done an incredible amount of work in order to craft a record that is going to leave listeners thrilled. The Pornography Of Ruin is a wonderfully thought out and dreamily executed offering that will keep fans coming back. Join me in celebrating the heaviness and falling in love with this fantastic band all over again. At this point Hush certainly deserve the love, any way you slice it.

Pre-order the album!

https://hushdoom.bandcamp.com/album/the-pornography-of-ruin

Come To Grief - When The World Dies

At long last, Come To Grief, the band that came from the ashes of Grief have put out their debut. After years of EP's, splits and singles we can suffer under a full length from these masters of sludge. One of the most ridiculously heavy, slow and genuinely gnarly bands in the world, it's a delight to really immerse yourself in the darkness of Come To Grief and to experience the raw misery that they extol on When The World Dies. This is nihilistic sludge metal at its best, unquestionably heavy and destined to leave you gasping for air.

There is something potent and weirdly charming about the sonic crush of When The World Dies. It's a record that continuously gets heavier and bleaker. There is no light at the end of the tunnel for Come To Grief, only more suffering. These songs are absolute stompers, monuments to a world that seems on the verge of destroying itself. All the classic Grief and Come To Grief tropes are here. It's the sort of sludge metal devastation that can only be wrought after over 30 years of playing together and exploring the darkest corners of humanity. There is a real sense of gnashing of teeth that makes this a compelling offering, one few others can compare too. 

When The World Dies is a crusher any way you slice it. It's a record that will leave listeners terrified and which continually pushes the band to demented new heights. I personally am deeply enamored with the devastation wrought within and the bands unique way of laying out the darkness is despicably delightful. Join me in turning these freakish anthems to a fallen world all the way up and get lost in the neverending sorrow of what they portray. Come To Grief may not be for everyone, but for the select few who love it, this is all that matters. 

Pre-order the album!

https://orcd.co/whentheworlddiesalbum

Crowbar - Zero And Below

Welp - it's the first Crowbar record in 6 years, an incredible break for what has long been one of metals most consistent bands. Yet Zero And Below proves that the living legends have not missed a beat. Their brand of uniquely New Orleans sludge continues to impress on this new record and it speaks to the bands longevity that their sound, while it has evolved, retains the same grit of yore. This is a truly heavy record, there's no other way to slice it and letting yourself get lost in the crushing guitars and devastating bottom end of what Crowbar have conjured up here is a delight. 

Zero And Below is sludge metal done right, slow, punishingly heavy and surprisingly laden with sorrow. The layers of emotion here are impressive and the monolithic nature of the rhythms, interlocking and slowly moving forward is thrilling. There is a very real crush that almost feels like mountains moving. If you close your eyes while a song like "Chemical Godz" is turned all the way up you start to really get a sense for the scope of Crowbars work .This is metal music done in a way that you're left in awe, intimidated by the sheer volume and in awe of the bone grinding beauty that Crowbar consistently conjure up. 

It's pretty crazy to think that well over 30 years into their career (Actually over 40 if you count Shell Shock) Crowbar are still one of the most impressive bands in the game with a sound that remains important, powerful and endlessly exciting. Zero And Below is a skull cracker and a record that proves these guys remain among the best to ever do it. Few new bands can emulate the same level of heaviness, but Crowbar have really cracked the code. Letting yourself suffer through the volume is a delight. Turn this all the way up.

Pre-order the album!

https://crowbar-zeroandbelow.com/

Possessor - The Speed Of Death

Possessor has for a few years now probven themselves to be among the sickest projects coming out of the UK's fertile underground. Now though they have gone and done it, closed the coffin lid and called an end to the band. But not without leaving us a final dose of heavy. Their final EP, The Speed Of Death sees the band take their Motorhead-esque swagger and crushing you with Celtic Frost worshiping riffs. This is underground metal for the true freak, dedicated to the early 80s sound and constantly searching for that next big hit. 

The bands trademark snarl really shines through here, with reverbed out vocals guiding the troops to war on tracks like "Draw Blood". The way the band blends a sort of fried blues Uncle Acid-esque sensibility with much heavier grooves reminiscent of Panzerfaust-era Darkthrone is really impressive. Few bands manage to distill influences in the way Possessor did, and the end result is some very compelling, wonderfully hard hitting heavy music that will leave you headbanging your way through the darkest hours. This is metal done right, prone to getting you jumping up and down in excitement, lusting for that next sick riff. 

The Speed Of Death is, at the end of the day, a crusher. It's a wonderfully heavy record that will leave you in awe of the bands cosmic crush. These bass driven tracks are groovy and exciting, a unique blend of genres executed in a way that we might never see again. Possessor were truly something special for the scene at large, and getting immersed in it will always be a delight. The band may be finished, but at least we are left with their music, riffs that will last a lifetime and continually prove how special the band was.

Pre-order the album!

https://apfrecords.co.uk/albums/the-speed-of-death

Melancholia - Static Church

 

Melancholia are a sludge metal band with a sound that can only really be described as stratospheric. This is music that leans into all manner of exciting post metal tropes and conjures up massive impressive soundscapes. As a mere 2 piece it's a real delight to lean into what they do and start to really come to terms with their cascading walls of sound. Their debut full length Static Church is an impressive offering that really pushes the band above and beyond, speaking to the power of their sound and fascinating with crushing riffs that can't help but to entrance. It makes for a record with high replay value. 

Building on a trio of EP's that the band has unleashed since 2018, Static Church is a truly impressive record. The breadth of what they do on their 20 minute closing epic, "Full" is Inter Arma-esque in scope. It shows just how talented these guys are, and is made all the more impressive by the fact that this is a two piece. Melancholia can't help but to stun and this is a record that takes you on a journey. The way that they guide you through the power of a track like "Chthonic Hymn" really speaks to their skill as songwriters. Usually when sludge bands stray over the six or seven minute mark the work becomes masturbatory and sad, this album is instead transcendent. 

With each song coming together in sweeping and grandiose movements, Melancholia consistently show that they are a one of a kind force. The way that they evoke a groundswell of emotions and somehow manage to continue to up the bar for heaviness really speaks to their ability to build larger than life soundscapes around the band. The doomed potency of these songs and the way that they seem intent on dragging you to hell only makes them all the more addictive. Static Church is a jaw dropper and another win from their label, Brutal Panda. 

Pre-order the record!

https://melancholia.bandcamp.com/album/agony-in-the-garden-ii

Blessings - Biskopskniven

Blessings are absolute fucking crushers. Their latest offering, Biskopskniven is a complete punisher, a record that is terrifying in its scope and which proves just how talented the musicians behind Blessings are. This is a eagerly pull together a variety of genres from crust and hardcore to indie rock and sludge metal. It makes for an abrasive and powerful offering that can't help but to capture the imagination. It's a terrifying listen and one that seems to go well above and beyond what any of the bands peers can really do. 

This Gothenburg four piece seems focused on bringing together as many diverse sides of the music spectrum as possible and it's such a pleasure to really immerse yourself in the sonic mastery of Biskopskniven. There is just so much to unpack here and as you really lean into the waves of aural punishment it becomes clear just how much Blessings have to offer. The production on this record is masterful by the way. The drums in particular sound massive, especially on the intro to tracks like "The Whip Hand" - an offering that is particularly epic. There's just so much to sink your teeth into, it's a delight to really revel in the murk of this utterly crushing offering. 

Biskopskniven is a stunner, any way you slice it. The open throated and completely epic orchestrations that the band conjures up on this record are exciting and hint at bold new soundscapes to come. As I dig in I get the impression that this latest offering is only a hint at the full potential of Blessings. As it is, this is a great record that just has so much to offer and which really fits in perfectly to the Pelagic Records roster. It's an album that fans of thoughtful and heavy music are going to fall in love with and one which will leave you in awe. 

Pre-order the album!

https://blessingsgbg.bandcamp.com/

Bleeth - Harbinger

There is something to be said for bands that sound absolutely MASSIVE. There aren't a lot of groups who can really go out and just leave you scraping your jaw off the floor from the sheer scope of what they do. Yet such is the power of Miami's Bleeth whose punishing offerings and skull cracking volumes fuse sludge with post metal making for a unique listening experience. It's a delight to immerse yourself in what is being done here.  Harbinger is an impressive sophomore release that builds nicely on the promise of the debut album and EP.

In some ways the band is reminiscent of fellow Floridians Torche, but honestly they bring so much more to the table beyond that. There is a real sense of torment in the music that captures the imagination. The gnashing of teeth that you hear on a track like 'Skin Of Your Teeth' is fucking punishing. It's exactly the sort of thing that keeps metalheads constantly coming back for more. Toss in a stellar production job that really goes above and beyond and you start to get a sense for just how good Bleeth are. Not a lot of great bands emerge from Florida, and yet here we are. What can I say other than that this is another awesome discovery from Seeing Red Records? 

Harbinger is a crusher any way you slice it and the diverse set of influences that come into this record to fascinated the listener are great. The level of execution throughout this offering is impressive and the more time I spend bathing myself in the raw volume the more I'm excited by it. This record has it all, a unique concept, stellar arrangements and solid songs. There are a lot of things to pick apart in a way a 300 word review could never accomplish. All I can say is if you dig post metal and sludge, maybe give this one a look see. 

Pre-order the album!

https://bleeth.bandcamp.com/album/harbinger

Black Sheep Wall - Songs for the Enamel Queen

 

I've been waiting a long time for this one. Black Sheep Wall have spent six years crafting this utterly crushing new offering Songs For The Enamel Queen. I clearly remember the release of 2015's I'm Going To Kill Myself, which is still in the running for my favorite album art ever. While Songs For The Enamel Queen might not have the same uniquely disturbing artwork, Black Sheep Wall have done an amazing job of positioning themselves as veritable lords of the genre, crafting bone powdering riffs and embracing an overarching sense of internal horror.

Songs For The Enamel Queen is an incredibly human record. It's an album that gets incredibly personal and showcases some of the darker sides of the human experience in an almost eager fashion. This is also a record that really sees Black Sheep Wall broadening their sonic pallet. Tracks like the ten minute plus 'Mr. Gone' experiment with broad acoustic and psychedelic sections. It makes for a uniquely interesting listening experience full of distinct twists and turns and making it an addictive record. Even though the band leans into a sprawling, nearly hour long run time, Songs For The Enamel Queen manages to remain fresh throughout. 

Black Sheep Wall have gone above and beyond with this record. They have captured the imagination and proven definitively that even after a prolonged hiatus, they are among the best in the game. It is an honor and a privilege to immerse yourself in their sheer torment. There are so many gloriously blasphemous ululations that go on to define this record. Layers of grime that interlock to make for a venom spitting offering. Join me in getting truly lost in these Songs For The Enamel Queen. They are twisted but glorious. 

Pre-order the album!

https://silentpendulumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-the-enamel-queen

Boozewa - First Contact

Out of the pain of pandemic comes another amazing record. Such is the magic of Boozewa, a sludgy new project featuring members of Backwoods Payback. It's not a fancy record, but it is sure as hell a good one. This four song EP is a delight to really sink your teeth into, full of bass grooves and massive power chords. While the band are certainly not reinventing the steel here, they are doing an excellent job of unleashing sludge metal at its very finest. This is high volume stuff meant to rip the teeth right out of your head. 

There is something strangely comforting about this record with its warm guitar tones and crashing cymbals. It's an album that reeks of house show energy in a time where we see no house shows. It's a record that speaks to a strange sort of poetry and which leaves listeners continually entranced with the spiraling power of the bass guitar. There is a very real sense of pain on this album too that makes it all the more compelling. When drummer and lead singer Mike Cummings yarls 'I don't want to get even/I don't want to be wrong' you really get a sense for the difficulty and torment that was going on when this album was recorded. 

Ultimately - this record isn't some sort of unpredictable side step from the members of Backwoods Payback. It's in many ways just a rougher take on the grungy madness their main band does so well. However, within that there is a lot of might and magic. There are elements you can get lost in and the sort of quiet poetry of the underground that rings forth. Transcendent and deeply personal, Boozewa conjures up images of garage rock magic in order to guide listeners into a future where maybe things can be ok... even if its just for the day. 

Find them on Instagram!

https://www.instagram.com/boozewa/

Boris & Merzbow - 2R0I2P0

Man - as hard a year as 2020 has been - its pretty awesome that we at least get another collaborative record from Boris and Merzbow out of it. 2016's Gensho was impressive, but this new release, 2R0I2P0 is fucking leveling. This is an absolute gem of a release, cracking skulls with incredible waves of devastating volume. There is something weirdly horrifying about this album and the breadth of the sound that they tackle on it will leave listeners in awe. Crashing forward with quasi-horrific potency, 2R0I2P0 is an absolute stunner. 

What gets me about this record is the devastating ways that Merzbow's legendary harsh electronic sounds interlock with the incredibly loud, pulsing guitars of Boris. Where on Gensho many of these ideas were still in a nascent form, it feels like this record has brought this to a whole twisted new level. These songs have a weird beauty, even as they act as the soundtrack to the world falling apart. Feeling your soul get ripped apart by the incredible layers and glorious crush of 2R0I2P0 is a delight. It speaks to the power of a band who have gone above and beyond. It's this mind melting magic that leaves you scraping your jaw off the ground in awe. 

2R0I2P0 is masterful in its execution. There is a breadth to these performances that no other metal record released in 2020 is going to b able to even hint at. The two collaborators have simply refined their craft that much. When it all comes crashing to a terrifying and weird end on the 12 minute long opus, 'Shadow Of Skull' it becomes clear - Merzbow and Boris collaborating are greater than the sum of their parts. They bring out the best in each other and we are lucky enough to get to exist at the same time as this skull crushing magic. 

Pre-order the album!

http://relapse.com/boris-with-merzbow/

Ilsa - Preyer

 

Ilsa have always capture my imagination. They are a monolithic and powerful sludge band, having emerged from the hardcore scene to deliver something crushing and evil. This is heavy music at its finest, loud, proud and eager to crack your head in. There is a demonic and terrifying might to the band, and this latest offering, Preyer stands among their finest work to date. It's an absolute beast of an album. It's unbelievable how dark and twisted the band has managed to become, but they consistently outdo themselves, ever masters of their unholy craft. 

The breadth of the compositions here is fascinating. Though the instrumentation is relatively sparse, the band is bale to take all of this sonic space and craft something that borders on the terrifying. There is a breadth to the execution here that can't help but to excite. Preyer is a record that goes above and beyond, dragging listeners into the pit and forcing them to choke on the bitter pill of unreality. Lost in a dream of torment, Ilsa are there to drag you by the hair into ever darker corners. Based around the story of Satanic murderer, Sean Sellers this is an unsettling and twisted record that can't help but to capture the imagination. 

Preyer goes above and beyond. It's a delight to really dig deep into the sludgiest aspects of this record and their embrace of some of the most twisted elements of this world. Ilsa will crack your skull open and drink the fluid. They will punish you with heaviness and remind you time and time again why they are among the best. They have found some o the most twisted and wonderfully dark music within themselves and birthed it out of the misery of quarantine. Embrace this darkness, turn up the volume, this one is a crusher.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/ILSADC/

Raging Speedhorn - Hard To Kill

 

Now this one is a monster. For those not in the loop, Raging Speedhorn have been UK heavy scene favorites for years now. Their swagger fueled brand of riff fueled metal madness has captured the imagination of the long haired masses and there is a very real magic to what's going on here. The chaotic mastery of this new record, Hard To Kill helps to showcase a band operating at the top of their game, cutting throats and taking names. It's hard not to be enamored with what's going on here, few bands really lean into the magic of heavy metal as much as these guys. 

The best part is this record is filled with some of the most meaningful songwriting steps forward that the band has ever had. Not only is the cover of 'Children Of The Revolution' a wonderful surprise and an interesting side step for the band, but we also see them rock their way through everything from Motorhead-esque bangers to sludge metal crushers. In terms of arrangements and orchestration it feels like Raging Speedhorn have really been putting in the hours ensuring a stronger overall product and an execution that is going to leave you scraping your jaw off the floor. It's a heavier and more exciting new side to what the band is about. 

Really one can only describe Raging Speedhorn as beautifully organized chaos. The way that they go careening forward even form the first with big choruses and fun guitar solos is a fitting reminder of just how good this band has become. It's been a pleasure hearing the evolve for over a decade now and the grit and sorcery behind what they do has never been more prevalent. Hard To Kill is a truly masterful work that has me coming back time and time again. Are you going to enjoy me as we head straight into the pit once more? 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/ragingspeedhorn

Yatra - All Is Lost

Man - Yatra is a fucking sick band. Now with their third full length since January of 2019, the band is diving forth once more into the breach. Few bands can maintain this level of productivity and remain excellent - but here we are. With their Dopethrone-infused brand of sludge the band is able to crush skulls and capture the imagination. Few bands have this sheer level of heaviness, and when you bring in the surprisingly memorable hooks it becomes clear that Yatra were getting into some of the good stuff during quarantine. 

All Is Lost is a very mature work from the young band - proof that creating as much music as they have is working to their advantage. Their relentless schedule means that this album sees the band building on so much of their early potential to prove to us that they are a one of a kind force. the guitar tone alone I could write a review of - it's truly excellent, heavy and evil without ever really leaning into the sheer fuzz wall that so many of the bands peers rely on. It means that their surprisingly intricate riffs are really given a chance to sign, but when they want to just bring the doom instead they have no problem delivering the goods. 

This is a masterful offering and it's one that fans of sludge will find themselves coming back too. As the band continue to mature and evolve their sound they get better and better. In fact I might even go so far as to say that while yes this is the bands best work to date, it's also some of the least heavy. Their execution shines though. Moments like the solo on 'Blissful Wizard' help to prove that All Is Lost represents an exciting new step for the band. This is a record that will leave you utterly crushed - so press play now - we're all doomed!

Find them on Facebook!

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

Empress - Premonition

 

This is a fascinating one. Sludgy variants of metal have taken all sorts of interesting twists and turns in recent years. In many ways this is due to the influence of bands like Elder evolving from Sleep worship into prog rock. Such is the case with the latest from Empress, Premonition. This is a 7 song album of progressive frills, tasteful execution and unique ideas. The fresh sonic assault and distinct notions that help to fuel this music is exciting. Their are few bands who really find a way to fuse heaviness with melody the way Empress do. 

The entire record is a fascinating offering. It's the kind of thing that you're going to get lost in. It's a record that will leave you scraping your jaw off the floor and embracing the deep magic of what the band is about. They have found a unique niche for themselves, and though it's taken a little bit to fully find their sound, what they are doing now is thrilling, powerful and the kind of thing that will leave you utterly stoked on what the band is about. Their distinct approach borders on the transcendent, an elegant fusion of classic rock melodies and crushingly heavy riffs. This is the sort of thing that leaves us scraping jaws off the ground. 

These tracks are really well constructed, tasteful and above all - exciting. Heavy music needs fresh new concepts like these, distinct approaches and devastating illuminations if it wants to really advance. So to have a band who write such excellent songs, who feast on good guitar tone and who execute with aplomb is really going to be a benefit as they gear up to take on the world and prove to all of us what this new wave of heavy music can be. You're going to get lost in some of these tracks - so just prepare yourself for the magic!

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/EmpressBC/

Boris - No

It's quarantine, existence is pain and Boris have a new album out that they are self releasing appropriately titled No. The band goes far beyond their roots on this one with a punk rock driven assault on the senses. With big choruses and driving rhythm sections, this is a record that stands apart in the bands discography. While we certainly can still find their trademark waves of crushing heaviness and the bitter pills that came to previously define the band, this is a much more balls to the wall assault.
 
This is easily the punkiest of any Boris offering to date, the songs here, from the cover of Gudon's classic 'Fatal Error' to the inclusion of the legendary Katsumi of Outo and City Indian fame, No stands in fitting rebellion with a clear desire to spit in the face of the opposition no matter what the consequences. Albums like this one are a fitting reminder as to why Boris's genre on Metal Archives is listed as 'Various'. This record is a shot to the jaw coming straight out of left field. It is exciting, ambitious and definitely not what I think what anyone was really expecting to hear from these guys in 2020.

No is a crushing offering. It's exciting and over the top. It's full of passion and it's the perfect album for this time and place. Boris are truly one of a kind in their ability to craft magic and mastery out of any music, and this is simply the next step in that stunning legacy. This is a devastating record that shows that Boris can play punk just as well as they do sludge and eagerly showcases both. There are few albums that leave you scraping your jaw off the floor like this and I can't help but to be utterly mesmerized.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/borisheavyrocks/

Jupiterian - Protosapien

This is an absolutely fucking crushing record. Protosapien is a monster album from a monster band. After three years of relative silence the sludge metal masters of Jupiterian have returned from beyond the grave with another devastating sludge masterpiece. This record is destructive and punishing. The overarching sense of despair that they communicate is stunning. Jupiterian have not just elevated their entire band on Protosapien but they have gone to prove that the Brazilian scene has the potential be among the best sludge scenes in the world.

What really makes this whole thing work is the overall quality of the production. Protosapien is a thriller because of just how deep the whole thing tends to go. There is an overarching sense here that Jupiterian is more than just another heavy record, it is a record that seems like it's going to drag you into hell. The ominous drums that kick off 'Homecoming' are a reminder of the purely devilish magic of this band. The way that they start to guide you into the abyss is delectable, a fitting proof of just how twisted this group can be. Protosapien stuns with its sense of delighting in evil. The overarching sentiment that we are all getting dragged down with it.

Jupiterian are here to suffocate you in massive riffs and swells of distortion. They have in many ways codified the magic of sludge metal and mastered it. Bringing it all together into five tracks of skull crushing magic. The songwriting here is excellent, the guitar tone amazing and the overall vibe utterly terrifying. This is how sludge metal was meant to be played and Jupiterian know it. Protosapien is one of the more impressive sludge metal records that I have heard in a good long while.

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