REVIEW: Rorcal & Earthflesh, "Witchcoven" [EP]

By: Josh McIntyre
 
Album Type: EP
Date Released:02/04/2021
Label: Hummus Records

“Witch Coven” CS//CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Altars of Nothingness
2). Happiness Sucks – So Do You

The Review:

 I am always impressed by Rorcal’s ability to be immaculately heavy. I mean it’s pure black bile smashing into your face with the weight of anvils. It melts your eyes and makes you feel smaller, more insignificant as an existential being. The guitars are huge, the drums are huge, the frequencies are huge, and the vocalist (who has one of the best tones in metal) roars like the meanest devil sent to drag you to Hell. Add in Earthflesh, their collaboration partner with this release, and the layers of noise make it sound like being forced into a meat grinder.

Speaking of Hell and devils, these two songs (both around 15 minutes) sound like occult rituals of the most frightening sort. The first song, “Altars of Nothingness”, begins with deep, choir-like vocals that certainly recall religious ceremonies before building up into a vile sludge fest. I’m normally one of those people who views religious and occult themed metal to be played out and cliche but somehow Rorcal and Earthflesh turn out something that really, truly sounds like the soundtrack to someone being set to flames. It isn’t just some band playing rock n’ roll songs about Satan, they manage to bring about an intensity that brings to mind the emotional state of someone in great pain who knows that all they have left in life is pure torment.

It feels as if the first track takes place on Earth, our living realm, while the second half takes place in a Hell-like dimension. Switching to blastbeats and buzzing guitars it sounds like the pure dread of someone falling to their doom, knowing that this is all they have left in life. As the song develops it continuously wavers between these faster parts and back to more doom sections. It feels natural as it flows and when the EP ends the quietness is quite apparent given the last half hour journey.

“Witch Coven” finds a brilliant balance between crushing atmosphere and riff to move the body (particularly the chugging section of the first track). Rorcal is truly at their best when throwing these juxtapositions together. The clean vocals and layers of sound from Earthflesh add to make this a special flavor of extreme music, one that is rich in mindfulness, a focus on emotive feel, and pure devastation.

“Witch Coven” is available HERE

Band info: Rorcal || Earthflesh

ALBUM PREMIERE: Swarming, "Primeval Arteries of the Dead"

Today at THE SLUDGELORD I am pleased to premiere the debut release from Swarming entitled "Primeval Arteries of the Sacred Dead". Swarming is a new project made up of underground veterans from bands like Slaves BC, Veiled, Twilight Fauna, and Mevrimna.

Recorded in Pennsylvania in early 2019, Swarming offers mysterious, dissonant and experimental black metal. On this debut cassette release, Swarming bring forth three 10+ minute tracks of diverse sonic experimentation, blending elements of black metal, doom metal and noise. Extremely harsh, punishing and highly emotional.
Limited to 50 sealed cassette copies worldwide through Nihilistic Noise Propaganda you can stream the album in full below and pre-orders are available here

ALBUM REVIEW: Orphan Donor, "Old Patterns"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 13/03/2020

Label: Zegema Beach Records

“Old Patterns” CS//DD track listing:

1). Hamsteria

2). Salvia Is A Beach

3). New Patterns

4). Pole Disdain

5). Mind State Dependency

6). Old Stains

7). Planks

8). Body On Fire

9). Profound Loss

The Review:

Allentown's Orphan Donor brings noise music to uncharted territory with “Old Patterns”. With a dense, unforgiving atmosphere and breakneck speeds, Orphan Donor offer up the perfect record for present times.  Give a listen. I think you'll understand.

From the first moments of album opener “Hamsteria”, Orphan Donor's intentions are clear.  Grating feedback is quickly met with a chaotic drum solo before coming together in a fast paced cacophony.  “Salvia Is A Beach” offers up the same onslaught of sound while offering up a little more structure and melody.  This is one you can move around to a little better. “New Patterns” is generally a more mid paced number, which makes the return to the albums brutal speed all the more appreciated. Other stand out tracks include “Planks”, with its slowed down doomy atmosphere standing in stark contrast to the rest of the album, “Old Stains” with a breakdown that allows the bass to stand out in the mix, and the impressive closer, “Profound Loss”.

“Profound Loss” is at once the most dissonant piece on the album, while also showcasing a lighter sound, with much cleaner guitars being picked throughout it. The sad plucking of these strings provides the perfect backdrop for the continued driving pace of the album. They break the tension and provide “Old Patterns” with the perfect ending.  Like a bleak acceptance after you've burnt through your angry energy. Truly beautiful song writing there.

Musically, this album truly is something to behold. With a sound reminiscent of the modern black gaze movement, Orphan Donor chooses to not contrast their dirty sound with a beautiful melodic piece, but rather with slowed down passages.

Throughout these tracks, one constant holds true. That is the beauty that can be found in dirt and disharmony.  This is loud, abrasive music, yes, but it's true beauty lies in its representation. Not everything ugly has a beautiful counterpoint. Not every low is resolved with a high.  Sometimes things are just bleak.  It's not a fun thought, but if you can rationalize it you are in the perfect space to appreciate the music that is presented here. Orphan Donor gift us with a soundtrack to our despair without offering any false hope, and in a world full of false hopes and promises, I am grateful for that.

“Old Patterns” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Yards - "Excitation Thresholds"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: August 25, 2017

Label: Truthseeker Music

The recording starts with "Future Tyrants," a cut that batters you from the beginning. It is followed by "Capes Of Flesh," an absolutely sweltering song with guitars set to flash fry. Similar to its initial releases, "Excitation Thresholds" is brief, and yet Yards takes major leaps from its initial works. One has to believe the live show has to be a visceral experience.

"Excitation Thresholds" DD//LP Track listing:

1. Future Tyrants

2. Capes Of Flesh

3. Knowable & Whole

4. War Tourist

5. Everything You Love Reduced To Rubble

6. The Attic

7. BL-755

8. Moon Choker

9. Bail Recommendation

10. The Shadow Stealer

The Review:

Watching the term 'nuclear' become a thing in the collective consciousness, decades after the duck-and-cover television interludes so long parodied, may not be the best thing ever. Yet in musical form, nuclear as an adjective can nonetheless be embraced by loyalists of heavy music. For if there is any genre of this branch of rock music, hardcore can aptly be described as nuclear in its power and presence.

After fading from prominence for a short period, hardcore has reemerged as a force to be reckoned with. A mix of talented acts have arisen to the heights. As well, a sizable group of young performers are on the collective radar.

London four-piece Yards return with its first full-length recording following a quick succession of EPs. The band is an amalgamation of other acts, including a few of note, such as Ghost of a Thousand and Nitkowski. Fortunately, it appears Yards has become its member’s primary focus.

Like any good hardcore release, "Excitation Thresholds" has a story. It comes just about a year after the team's first forays together. Those EPs themselves, "EP1" and "EP2," as short (four songs each), driving affairs, give you a glimpse of Yards' dissonant energy. The EPs are loud, awash with rhythm and exquisite overtuning and raw. You will not find a particularly different sound on its new full-length. In many ways, that is just fine.

Similar to its initial releases, "Excitation Thresholds" is brief, showing up at just around 30 minutes start to finish. The uncompromising hardcore punk is front and center, though you may catch some dirge popping in from time to time. The recording starts with "Future Tyrants," a cut that batters you from the beginning. It is followed by "Capes Of Flesh," an absolutely sweltering song with guitars set to flash fry. The vocals are furious, with "Everything You Love Reduced To Rubble" being one of the best examples of that; the feverish lyrics and snarl of the delivery make this part of the performance stand out. Overall, Yards takes major leaps from its initial works. One has to believe the live show has to be a visceral experience.

"Excitation Thresholds" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

INTERVIEW: When our Greekbastard chatted to Celeste @ Psycho Las Vegas August 2017

By: Greekbastard

Celeste absolutely crushed it at Psycho Las Vegas this past August and THE SLUDGELORD was able to catch up with them to find out if they survived Sin City along with other questions inquiring minds want to know about this mysterious French band…

Please give a short history lesson of Celeste for those that may not have heard of you.

Royer: We are a French metal band based in Lyon/France. We released six albums in 10 years. We play a mix of post hardcore, sludge, metal, and black metal with dark melodies and an evil atmosphere.

You recently played at the Psycho Las Vegas festival, how did it go for you guys?

Guillaume: Despite a lot of technical problems we really enjoyed our show and the venue was totally packed during our whole set. We were just a bit frustrated to not be able to create the same live experience as we do usually in Europe with our full backline and our own fog machines and strobes we manage by ourselves.  Whatever, it was a real pleasure to play in Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel!

What bands did you check out while you were at Psycho Las Vegas and who were some of your favorites?

Royer: We checked Gojira, Mastodon, Cult of Luna, Abbath, Cult Leader, Inter Arma, Sumac, and some more. I would say Mastodon was one of the highlight, Gojira we saw them already several times back in France, but they always “do” the job on stage.

Was this Celeste’s first time playing in the United States?

Royer (Drums): No, actually we came out here in the U.S. two years ago for a 3 week Midwest and East Coast tour sharing the stage with Primitive Man.

I was able to catch some of your set between bands and walked into a packed room while you guys were playing.  You guys are known for playing live with low LED light headbands with no other surrounding light.  How long did it take to get used to playing with this setup?

Royer: Usually we play with strobes that we switch on and off by ourselves in addition to our headlamps, but due to some logistic problems we didn't get them for the fest. At the beginning we were paying only with some light.  Since the beginning of the band we’ve been playing with red lights. We’ve been used to playing like this for a while now so it felted pretty natural.

What type of mood are you attempting to invoke with this low light atmosphere?

Guillaume (Guitars): The idea behind our light show is to create an apocalyptical atmosphere that, in our opinion, fits perfectly to the music we play. We want to make our audiences open their minds so they can enjoy our performances even more. Even if sometimes it's the contrary for some people who really dislike this amount of fog and strobes.

Your music has been described in several different styles and genres ranging anywhere from post rock to black metal.  How do you describe it?

Royer: It's pretty hard for us too, because there's some hardcore, doom, metal, black, sludge, noise influences in our music. It's a mix of all the best parts of those subgenre. Most of people would say we play a post blackened hardcore.

How do the crowds that attend your shows differ in Europe vs. the United States?

Royer: First it depends where you play in Europe, but the U.S. the audience are a bit more excited to see us because we don’t get to play in the U.S often. Most of them are seeing us on stage for the first time and have been following us for years.

What is next for Celeste?  Is there a new album in the works?

Royer: We're about to release a new album called “INFIDELE(S)”     this year, it will come out on the 29^th September. We’ve already published two exclusives songs online.  We will be touring both Europe and the U.S. in support of it.

The End

Check out Celeste’s new album released by Denovali Records. It can also be ordered through the band’s Big Cartel page here:

Band info: facebook||Bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Made Of Teeth - "Made Of Teeth"

By: Jay Hampshire

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 28/08/2017

Label: Red Sun Sounds

Made Of Teeth have produced a confident, punchy, and savage debut that provides the listener with labyrinthine levels of surprises around each corner.

“Made Of Teeth” DD track listing

1). Citrus Fetus Potus

2). Drunk On Bleach

3). Weeper

4). Hook, Tooth and Claw

5). Bleak Phlegm

6). The Karman Line

The Review

What do you do with your down time? Binge watch the latest Netflix must see? Vainly attempt to put together some flat pack furniture without resorting to violence? Spin up some vinyl and indulge in some of the Devil’s lettuce? For Welsh heavy-underground luminaries Chris West and Steve Jones, their down time from ‘main’ doom/country/psych/stoner/prog/kitchen-sink project Spider Kitten has seen them give birth to something beautiful in its malignancy.

Made Of Teeth (and the self-titled debut record) were born of an insatiable lust to play live and as up in folks’ faces as possible. The third leg of the sonic stool is provided by Lacertilia’s Tom Cole on bass/vocals, seeing West on guitar/vocal duties and Jones handling duties behind the kit (as well as vocals, because three pissed off growls are better than one). The kind of sneering, vitriolic punk energy the best live bands tote around is captured and somehow restrained across the six tracks on offer.

‘Citrus Fetus Potus’ comes in hard with shimmering cymbals and a clock ticking like a bomb timer, before exploding with stabbing riffs that lumber like old-school Mastodon licks. Barked vocals buffer around the twisting, writhing guitars, almost used as punctuation. Stuttering palm muting hits like a closed fist, before the track ends on some beefy call and response shouts. ‘Drunk On Bleach’ trills with bright guitar before locking into a ripper of a drive, a real fist pumping, chugging groove. It’s a tad rough around the edges, but satisfyingly so, dropping briefly into a deceptively calm section with some monstrous vocals. It’s simple, but it’s fucking slablike.

‘Weeper’ shuffles in with some creepy backmasking, before crawling away on the back of a dour riff. Spoken word vocals come across like the fractured ramblings of a serial killers’ notebook, before rising up into jarring motes of atonality and massive chords. ‘Hook, Tooth and Claw’ is the biggest departure on the record. Lapping ways and a slow rush of breath usher in hollow, jangling, melancholy acoustic guitar (a possible hint at the bands’ experiences with all things Arachnid and Feline). Bolshy, bouncing riffs kick this aside with a hobnailed boot, hardcore gang vocals and razor edged bass rolling tidally over an underlay of muscular toms.

‘Bleak Phlegm’ is as delicate as it sounds, plodding, Melvins-ian bass and skittering guitar under ranting vocals swaggering away. Things amp up into a ballsier main riff, held chords screeching protest before collapsing into a gentle, lilting loop that builds to a dramatic, slowly revolving crescendo – it’s the longest song here, and it exploits its length to great effect. ‘The Karman Line’ hops with punk energy and rolling drums, scrappy with layers of guitar and angular riffing, running the gamut between lo-fi grooves and grungy drives.

Heavier and more confrontational than any work we’ve heard from the trio’s other projects (even Wests’ stint with the much missed Taint) there’s a simple ferocity to Made Of Teeth’s sound that sees them eschew overly flash production and gimmicky performance. They don’t skimp on songcraft, however, as it takes both nous and talent to write solid slabs of riffola that sound joyously simplistic while being anything but. They combine elements from all over the influence spectrum with an unerring smoothness, providing a listen that’s labyrinthine in the surprises around each corner. Confident, punchy, and savage – one thing that drips from every pore of this release is the knowledge that the band had as much cathartic fun making it as you will listening to it.

‘Made Of Teeth’ is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Atriarch - "Dead As Truth"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 11/08/2017

Label: Relapse Records

There is so much to enjoy about the new Atriarch release. You have heavier cuts like "Dead" and "Devolver" to mix among the more pensive songs. The songwriting is superior. And, best of all, you have a talented group back for a release that is sure to remind you why you enjoyed its brutal sound when they debuted.

“Dead As Truth” CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Inferno

2. Dead

3. Devolver

4. Void

5. Repent

6. Hopeless

The Review:

Atriarch are one of those bands that cuts across a ton of subgenres. For many outfits, that can go lots of ways, for better or worse. There are more than a few examples of times this does not work. Too many metal performers trying to be too much to too many people, and it can be exasperating. Similarly, in this Portland-based group, you can hear hard rock, gothic, post-punk, black metal and doom, but it is altogether better than all that sounds.

On their fourth full-length recording, "Dead As Truth," Atriarch does so famously because its members build upon a series of well-received releases with a sound that, for all it is advertised as, does the core parts so remarkably.

Atriarch bills itself as classic death rock, but there is a good chance you will hear tinges of old-school death metal here. From haunting singing to touches of dirge and, in truth, a lot of heavy, sludgy guitar, you will catch the screams of some of death metal's originators in Atriarch's blast. Instead of the screeching, indecipherable C-list material you can find anywhere, though, Atriarch paints some ghastly images without the nonsensical bombast. "Dead As Truth" continues the growth of the group's sound and, in many ways, makes it far more intimidating because it is more cerebral than most.

Fans of the band's past recordings may believe this new package sounds toned down compared to past collections. Such an observation is largely true, but rather than chill, this one feels like a more sophisticated entry. The restraint you hear from the opener, "Inferno," to the closer, "Hopeless," is used to support savage storytelling. "Void" taps a similar lyrical delivery, until it unleashes the full bore of anguish on the listener.

There is so much to enjoy about the new Atriarch release. You have heavier cuts like "Dead" and "Devolver" to mix among the more pensive songs. The songwriting is superior. And, best of all, you have a talented group back for a release that is sure to remind you why you enjoyed its brutal sound when they debuted.

"Dead As Truth" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: The Cosmic Dead - "Psych Is Dead"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 28/04/2017

Label: Riot Season

Somehow the band manage to make relentless repetition sound like a captivating journey into the unknown, packed with more subtle detail than a million prog metal odysseys.

“Psych Is Dead” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Nuraghe

2). Psych Is Dead

3). #FW

The Review:

Sometimes just one chord can be a whole lot heavier than an onslaught of riffs. The Cosmic Dead demonstrate this in style over the first half of stellar new LP “Psych Is Dead”. “Nuraghe” is a yawning 22 minute black-hole, a hypnotic mantra with an inescapable density. The track is based around a shuffling monochord groove that ebbs and flows between eerily blissful calm and outbursts of molten distortion. Somehow the band manage to make relentless repetition sound like a captivating journey into the unknown, packed with more subtle detail than a million prog metal odysseys.

The Glasgow astral voyagers thankfully provide a little respite after this epic mind-melting trip with the title track of “Psych Is Dead”. Layers of clean guitar loops and warm synth drones build up to create a wall of transcendent soothing noise. Drums are kept subdued and distant which help the band create an enveloping ambience reminiscent of “Beaches and Canyons” era Black Dice.

The calm is soon shattered by the closing crash of “#FW”. Another one-chord affair, this differs from “Nuraghe” due to its single-minded dedication to a pounding primal snare thud and guitar clang that builds up an unstoppable head of steam towards the albums close.

If “Psych Is Dead” it is because The Cosmic Dead have destroyed it and created something dark and intoxicating from its smouldering remains.

“Psych is Dead” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: Houston, TX sludge thug newcomers Pyreship deliver post metal rage and an unhealthy dose of sludgecore on "Gravity"

Houston sludge thugs Pyreship, expertly blend post-metal and doom with a raft of 90's slowcore and noise rock influences. Comprised of four road-hardened musicians, Pyreship's songs are reflective of their formative environment - stripped-down, unpretentious, and resilient.

Live, the music is meant to be both heard and felt, with Steve Smith's relentless jackhammer beats melding seamlessly with the molten slag spilling out of George Lusito's bass amp.  Co-guitarists Jason Jordan and Sam Waters stoke the bellows.  Pyreship is one of the few remaining bands running an unapologetically monolithic backline.  They use it to slam out slow, deliberate riffs that resonate long after the show has ended and the crowd dispersed.

A new addition to the every expanding Black Bow Records roster, Pyreship’s debut album “The Liars Bend Low” will be released digitally and on limited vinyl on May 26th 2017.  Today you can exclusively stream “Gravity” below, so if you’re a fan of KINGS X, SOUNDGARDEN, PALLBEARER, ISIS be sure to give this band some love. 

Band info: facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: Salt Lake City's The Ditch & The Delta unleash their unique blend of mathematical progressive sludge on new track "F**k On Asphalt"

Often trying to find the right words to describe something in the most appropriate way, can often be the most difficult thing, particularly when those things make you feel happy or excited, indeed the same could be said for things that make you feel like crap, sometimes the words “that was awesome” or “I feel like crap” just doesn’t quite cut it, because it doesn’t explain the true meaning of the experience.  Our views about things are subjective of course, personal to that individual, but when it comes to music, particularly hearing a killer band destroy your senses with a powerful riff, the same problems apply, words sometime just don’t cut and for  Salt Lake City’s The Ditch and The Delta, my words just won’t do this band justice, save to say that the first thing that comes to mind is that they are perhaps my greatest new discovery of the year so far and their mixture of mathematically progressive Neurosis infused sludge, is a breathtakingly fresh heavy infusion of all the best elements of many of your favourite bands, moulded into something genuinely exceptional and unique.  Hope that did you justice guys!!

The Ditch and The Delta will undoubtedly be a new name on the lips of many, but with the imminent release of debut album “Hives In Decline” that is set to change. Armed with their own unique brand of sludgy/noise/doom and love of the “Big Riff”, The Ditch And The Delta implement different tunings, and modal centres, which in turn has enabled them to avoid many of the usual doom trappings of excessive feedback, static harmony, and pentatonic riffs and in doing so they have created one of the finest debuts I have heard for many years. 

Set for release via Battleground Records on May 12^th “Hives In Decline” was engineered by Andy Patterson of Subrosa and is certain to propel this band to the next level, alongside fellow Utahan’s such Cult Leader and the aforementioned Subrosa. So with the release date but a few weeks away, we’re stoked to be able to debut the second track from the album entitled “Fuck on Asphalt” below which which features several guitar solos by Gentry Densley from Eagle Twin and Iceburn.  You can pre-order/buy the album here

In addition to the stream, we have a double helping of The Ditch And The Detla, as we welcome guitarist/vocalist Elliot Secrist to take us through their top 5 influences. It’s time to turn the volume all the way up to 11,  because “It’s one louder, isn’t it?” So ill hand over to Elliot to talk you through his picks

Elliot: Rather than list some obvious influences, we decided to list stuff that we listen to that is not metal. Every review we have received, lists a bunch of bands that we do listen to, and there are way too many, over a lifetime of listening to hardcore and metal, to list. Many of the influences are obvious, so here are some not so obvious ones. My (Elliot) bands that sparked tectonic shifts in my musical thinking are not going to be the same ones for Kory, and Charles.

1. The one band that Charles (Drums) did say he wanted listed is the anarcho hardcore band Catharsis. Their drummer is Alexei Rodriguez. He has been in so many bands but most notable Prong, 3 inches of Blood, Trial, Walls of Jericho. Musically they are thrashy, and have a healthy dose of dbeat. Their themes are all about living authentically at any cost, the passion for life, and resistance to ways of life that are only to serve masters.

Here are two of their best “Obsession”

And their swan song “Arsonist’s Prayer”

The others are staples that we have either listened to forever and continue to inspire, or are stuff we listen to on tour. When playing metal every night with a bunch of metal bands, we tend to avoid listening to metal in the van.

2. One of our first tour listens that we put on every time we go out is Townes Van Zandt. He is the songwriter’s songwriter. In our opinion the best of sad bastard country. Its hard to pick any one album. On the top would probably be his album “Our Mother the Mountain”. He has happy and uplifting songs but he also captures misery and hopelessness unlike any metal band trying to be dark.

“Nothin”

3. Kory’s definite non metal/tour pick is Gucci Mane. Sometimes you just need some shitty trap rap.

“Trap House 3”

4. Is the Utah band Iceburn. Their whole discography is awesome. Starts out super heavy and then gets progressively more exploratory to free jazz orchestra’s to just noise. It is Southern Lord Recording artist Eagle Twin’s Gentry Densley’s brain child. Iceburn has a new extremely heavy album much like their early work coming out sometime in the near future, on Southern Lord. I’ve probably listened to this band 1000’s of times.

1992 “Fall”

1996 “Sphinx (Part II)” This one is a long one and you need to listen to the whole album to get it all. Start at minute 15:00 to get to the coolest ending and riffs ever.

5. Silo (Denmark) is one of the most unique mysterious bands I have ever heard. There really is not a lot of info out there on them. From the first minute heard I knew this was going to be something I listen to on repeat. Mindblowing but minimal at the same time. Their sound has some stuff in common to Portishead and Massive Attack in its mood, but that is where similarities end. The first album I heard of them is called “Alloy”. Its electronic music but done with real sampled instruments. So soothing that once they finally change the pattern you forget where it even happened. Poly rhythm masters. Ten years after “Alloy” they released one of the heaviest non metal records I have heard. If you want ideas for poly rhythms/beat chopping or new ways to sound heavy without traditional guitar tones listen to “Work”. This band is simply on their own playing field.

From “Alloy” 

From “Work”

Band info: bandcamp || facebook