Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 13/01/2017
Label: Suicide Records
The Finnish quartet deal in a potent blend of
filthy sludge-encrusted riffs tempered by hypnotic stoner grooves and nasty
gravel gargling vocals. The band conjure up the sound of a bar room brawl
between Weedeater and Colour Haze.
“Seaweed” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Taxbear
2). Heavy Chase
3). Seaweed
4). Cavity
5). Backwoods
6). Pure Cold
7). Saturnday
8). Peninkulma
The Review:
There’s
nothing better than a boatload of no-frills, weapons-grade riffage to blow away
the January blues. Demonic Death Judge deliver the goods in fine
style on new album “Seaweed”. The Finnish
quartet deal in a potent blend of filthy sludge-encrusted riffs tempered by
hypnotic stoner grooves and nasty gravel gargling vocals. The band conjure up
the sound of a bar room brawl between Weedeater and Colour Haze.
“Taxbear”
kicks things off in punishing fashion. Gargantuan riffs pummel the listener
into submission until they are enveloped in waves of swirling guitar noise and
menacing samples. The pure low-end dirt of “Pure Cold” and the
dangerously addictive “Heavy Chase” run “Taxbear”
close for heaviest track on the LP but quality riffs abound throughout “Seaweed”.
Demonic Death Judge demonstrate that they
don’t need to rely on constant hard-riffing to be effective. The title track
begins the introduction of more melodic elements into the mix with suitably
aquatic effects-laden guitars providing a hazy calm before the storm of the
band’s arrival at full bore. “Cavity” sees the band explore this
relaxed side further to achieve powerful psychedelic results while the brooding
first half of closer “Peninkulma” creates an almost
post-rock slow-burn before being crushed under one final tonne of leaden
riffage.
“Seaweed” is a killer effort from Demonic Death
Judge that strikes a good balance between no-nonsense sludge and
minor excursions into more tuneful territory. In an often overcrowded genre,
the band stick out by rocking hard while bringing their own distinct character
to the fore.
FFO: Cough,
Dopethrone, Weedeater, Colour Haze
