ALBUM REVIEW: Canopy, "Humanity Loss"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 31/01/2020

Label: Independent

“Humanity Loss” DD track listing:

1). Intrusion

2). Hostile Architecture I

3). Hostile Architecture II

4). Exigent Weight

5). No Cure

6). Adrenochrome

The Review: 

The fourth release by Atlanta's Canopy is coming, and if you're not ready for it, it will destroy you.  This thing is crushing, not just in its brutal riffing, but in its dense, foreboding atmosphere.  This is a visceral, unforgiving listening experience.  Prepare yourself for “Humanity Loss”. 

The album begins perfectly with “Intrusion”, an ambient collage of dark undulating tones and melancholic guitars that descend into swirls of chaotic feedback and panicked screams. I'm not usually a huge fan of this type of introductory track, but here it serves an absolutely necessary purpose. It's a warning, a disclaimer. Shit is about to get real, and it doesn't take long for it to begin. 

“Intrusion” feeds directly into “Hostile Architecture l & ll”, creating a suite of devastating emotional destruction. The atmospheres don't quit, keeping you wrapped in a nightmare world that you fear you may never awaken, while the band alternates between trying to break skulls and lull you to sleep. It is as beautiful as it is ugly, as hopeless as it is powerful. These three songs will fill you with such a wondrous dread, it may in fact creep into your outside world. 

Canopy doesn't lighten up its grip on you at any point of this album.  “Exigent Weight” is a hypnotizing blur with some fight riffs that will tear you apart.  “No Cure” brings you down to your absolute emotional core, with a depressive tone that strips away all hope. 

The album closes out with the dark epic “Adrenochrome”.  Pained vocals tear through a dreamscape of crushing riffs and pounding drums. The melodic guitars on this track are a particular standout, calling back to the melancholy picking of the introduction.  The atmosphere is black as night. It is a goddamn masterpiece. 

I take back what I said earlier in this review. You cannot prepare yourself for the onslaught that is “Humanity Loss”. This album will destroy you, and I doubt there is anything you can do about it.  It will lay atop you like a hag, boring deep into your soul with its crushing weight.  And if you're anything like me, you will love every single second of it.

“Humanity Loss” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Big Jesus - One - Album Review

Big Jesus is an Alt Rock/Sludge/Stoner Rock Band from Atlanta, USA

The members are:

C.J. Ridings - Guitar
Thomas Gonzalez - Guitar
Spencer Ussery - Vocals/Bass
Aaron Wamack - Drums

Big Jesus is a band who I have been a fan of ever since I featured them on the blog back in 2011. Well 2.5 years later the band are back with their excellent debut album – One.

One features 9 songs and almost 35 minutes of great Stoner/Sludge Rock riffs with a heavy burst of 90s Alt Rock thrown in for good measure. If you are a fan of Torche and Cave In then you are going to dig this like I did. You may first think –There is nothing new or original here. Why should I bother?

Well I would tell you to look again. Big Jesus are doing something different. Sludge, Stoner and Alt Rock held together by loud angry bursts of ROCK!!! – that is played at an intense pace. OK the vocals may take some time getting used to. But once you do get used to Spencer'sVocals, this album will have you hooked.

Did I forget to say that this band have members from ace Sludge/Stoner Rock Band - Stallone (which features ex-Torche guitarist – Juan Montoya). So these guys are hugely talented indeed. They blend Alt-Rock with heavy slabs of Sludge/Stoner Rock, which gives the album a finely tuned hard-rocking edge. Especially on great tracks such as Oneirica, Cold Fire, Shards, Lost Dog and Ought To Take.

Big Jesus may sound they do not have the power to play loud heavy Sludge Metal riffs but give them time. As when the time calls for the band to get loud then they lay down some epic loud heavy riffs especially on – My Being. One of the albums standout tracks as it is both a tender sounding track with some spectacular heavy Sludge Metal riffs that come out of nowhere to impress you with.

I will admit when I first heard this album that it was just a good rock album but nothing more. But I decided to give it another listen as I promised the band I would review it. Well something strange happened on my 2nd listen. I started to rock out the album from start to finish. I could not believe how many awesome loud riffs the album has. I mentioned My Being previously. Well you have to check the superb riffs that await you on Lost Dog. A storming 3:38 minute track with heavy dangerous riffs and vocals that should not work as they have a playful like quality. But the band pull this off repeatedly.

What more can I say about this album. Fans Of Torche will love this. As Big Jesus have that pop-like sensibility mixed with the louder and heavier rock riffs when you least expect it. My Shrimp is the perfect example of this. A wonderful sounding track is played at a slow pace but wait until the 3rd minute when all heck breaks loose. The band unleash a torrent of violent riffs that will leave you begging for more.

One is a blast from start to finish. If you want an album full of loud action packed riffs that ventures between Alt Rock. Sludge and Stoner Rock then this is the album for you. It is a stunning collection of tracks to rock out to, time and time again.

I cannot recommend this album highly enough. Big Jesus has delivered an outstanding debut album that will give them more exposure within the Sludge/Stoner Rock community.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

One is now available to buy on CD/DD from BandCamp Now.

Check the Band from Links Below

Facebook
BandCamp