Mares of Diomedes/Dreich – Split (Review)

Mares of Diomedes DreichThis is a split between two sludge/doom bands – Mares of Diomedes from Ireland and Dreich from Denmark.

Mares of Diomedes start us off with two songs of bastard-heavy metal, lasting 13 minutes.

This is fuzzed-up and harsh, with colossal riffs drenched in distortion being unleashed like they are going out of fashion. With Continue reading “Mares of Diomedes/Dreich – Split (Review)”

Slomatics – Future Echo Returns (Review)

SlomaticsSlomatics are a sludge/doom band from the UK. This is their fifth album.

A brief overview of Future Echo Returns – doom, sludge, psychedelia, stoner, feedback, atmosphere, synths, heaviness, riffs, leads, solos, metal, songs. More than anything this last one; this album is about songs. Damn good ones too.

In addition to the songs themselves, Slomatics are all about the Continue reading “Slomatics – Future Echo Returns (Review)”

Crowhurst – II (Review)

CrowhurstCrowhurst are from the US, and are an extremely prolific band with lots of noise/experimental/etc. releases. Their self titled album from 2015 was especially of interest, as it was essentially a pure black metal album, and a very good one at that.

Fast forward a year, and they have now released II. This continues the black metal theme started by their previously mentioned album, only this time with a wider scope and with industrial/sludge aspects, as well as contributions from members Continue reading “Crowhurst – II (Review)”

Tides of Sulfur – Extinction Curse (Review)

Tides of SulphurThis is the début album from Tides of Sulfur, a death/sludge metal band from the UK.

Like The Dead, Tides of Sulfur combine death and sludge metal together into a hideous, swampy mass. Also like The Dead, it’s hard to know whether to categorise them as death metal or sludge metal. Essentially it doesn’t really matter, I suppose, as the band manage to provide a pretty good synthesis of the two on Extinction Curse.

This is heavy, heavy, heavy. Continue reading “Tides of Sulfur – Extinction Curse (Review)”

Warped Cross – Abbot of Unreason (Review)

Warped CrossWarped Cross are a sludge metal band from Germany and this is their début album.

This is underground filthy sludge metal that takes inspiration from bands like Eyehategod, Crowbar, Down, Corrosion of Conformity, Cathedral and Electric Wizard. There’s a hint of, (dirtied-up), grunge in their sound, (not too dissimilar from the recent Boss Keloid album), as well as some pinches of old-school punk. There’s even a touch of Type O Negative in places.

This is raw and utterly unpolished, but Continue reading “Warped Cross – Abbot of Unreason (Review)”

Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us (Review)

NailsThis is the third album from this US grindcore band.

Nails are an intense band. On You Will Never Be One of Us they take a grindcore base and add elements of hardcore and sludge metal into the mix, flawlessly creating a 22 minute album that wipes the floor with most of the competition.

The band’s dense, thick sound is almost physical, and played Continue reading “Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us (Review)”

Druids – Cycles of Mobeum (Review)

DruidsDruids are a doom/sludge metal band from the US and this is their latest album.

Druids take elements of modern bands like Mastodon and Behold! The Monolith and infuse them with an earlier style of doom and blues, as produced by bands like Earth and Black Sabbath.

There’s a quality level of musicianship on Cycles of Mobeum, and this Continue reading “Druids – Cycles of Mobeum (Review)”