VIDEO PREMIERE: Cell Press fucking destroy with debut single "Desert Breath"

You know that feeling, when you spin a new record for the first time and it just fucking destroys you? Well today I am happy to report, Cell Press outta Montreal have truly delivered the goods with their debut self titled EP.  I mean fuck, is it any wonder this band rules, when they can boast members from the likes of The Great Sabatini, Biipiigwan, I Hate Sally, Architect.

 

With their self-titled release, Cell Press give zero fucks about accessibility, instead they focus on delivering punishing aggression with a melting pot of sludge metal, noise rock, and grindcore.

 

Be sure to dial those speakers up loud and watch you speakers die, as we debut the single “Desert Breath” below.  The “Cell Press” EP is set for release on November 27^th, digitally here and on limited edition cassette from No Funeral Records here and here >> Ancient Temple Recordings on Nov 27th.

ALBUM REVIEW: Resent, "Crosshairs"

 By: Thomas Gonzales

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/05/2020

Label: Dry Cough Records |

Nerve Altar | Rope or Guillotine

“Crosshairs” DD//LP track listing:

1). Miserable Pt.2

2). Dengenerate

3). Wallowing In Filth

4). Crosshairs

5). Victimized

6). Miscarriage

The Review:

Victoria BC export Resent set out to form the nastiest, most disdain drenched sludge they could muster when they formed in 2017; with the release of “Crosshairs”, their debut LP, it is safe to say they have done just that.

Laden with disturbing voice over tracks, shrieking harmonics, and the grimiest riffs this side of Meth Drinker, “Crosshairs” is a disparaging and crushing 45 minutes of down and dirty sludge. Channeling their influences from 90s sludge “classics” Grief, Noothgrush, and Corrupted, the genre is flayed open and excoriated, like a festering wound, sinking into the darkest depths of putridity. Each of the 6 tracks are over 5 mins long, droning the listener into a stupor of aggravated despair.

If “Crosshairs” is any indication of what Resent has to offer, expect to see them leaving their mark on extreme metal. If you are out for something slow, heavy, and unrelenting, this is sure to satisfy; its primal approach to song writing, with its raw production plows over the soundwaves, and straight into your skull.

“Crosshairs” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp

VIDEO PREMIRE: Dyatlove, "Fragile Fixation"

Vancouver, Canada’s Dyatlove are gearing up to release their self-titled debut EP on May 29th and ahead of that are revealing their single 'Fragile Fixation' digitally with an exclusive premiere of its music video 

Their sound is eclectic and diverse, at times morose and others bone crunchingly heavy. An EP that requires attention to take in, each song takes the listener on a ride with complex lyrical content aiming to grab attention. Check out the video for “Fragile Fixation” below

Band info: Facebook
 

ALBUM REVIEW: Spell, "Opulent Decay"

By: Chris Markwell

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 10/04/2020

Label: Bad Omen Records

“Opulent Decay” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Psychic Death

2). Opulent Decay

3). Sibyl Vane

4). Primrose Path

5). The Iron Wind

6). Dawn Wanderer

7). Deceiver

8). Ataraxia

9). Imprisoned by Shadows

10). Saturns Riddle

The Review:

Season of riffs, and mellow moshfulness… we find ourselves in times where music is needed now more than ever to soothe the soul, and send the mind to higher, happier planes.  There has never been a more apt time to discover new music.  Never. 

May I humbly recommend Vancouver heavy metal trio Spell? 

April 10^th 2020 sees the release of “Opulent Decay”, their fourth album.  It’s a true nostalgia-fuelled romp through the gardens of Sabbath, with sojourns through Dio valleys and the Thin Lizzy rivers.  It’s a journey your ears deserve to take, because you’ll find new, virgin audioscapes on which to traverse. 

Let’s get to the work itself: Spell are three gents who look like they were forged from three ingots of original heavy metal, and make music that resonates with that classic sound of old.  But it doesn’t sound outdated; far from it, in fact.  It feels new, and refreshing, and vital.  It’s like being a treasure hunter and finding a horde of plunder.  Except, this time, the whip and fedora aren’t required to find this plunder… although I’m sure they help.  Ahem. 

The music itself is ten tracks of glorious metal, spacier than an orbiting satellite, and riffier than Steve Harris of Iron Maiden chugging with Gary Moore and Tony Iommi.  Album opener ‘Psychic Death’ has this radiating, rolling drum beat which pulls the bass and guitar around as though it was their chariot, driving them onward to the battlefield that is your speakers.  Personal favourites for me include ‘Sibyl Vane’, which is a “Bad Reputation”-era Thin Lizzy rock song, with some truly mesmerising bass licks, courtesy of Cam Mesmer (great name), and ‘Deceiver’, which has this opening riff that reminds me of Annihilator’s ‘Never, Neverland’, before slamming into this powerful, Dio-era Sabbath style heaviness.  But get this: Cam’s voice on this track sounds like Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran.  And it works!  I don’t know how; I don’t know why… but it just works.  Hybridisation at its most magical. 

Spell’s latest album “Opulent Decay” is an enchanting slice of expansive heavy music.  The soundscapes breathe, move like a living being, and carry you along in their arms.  It’s a comforting journey, made with love and real craftsmanship.  Spell deserve to cast their magic on you.  On April 10^th, 2020, let them. 

“Opulent Decay” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM TYPE: Ian Blurton, "Signal Through The Flames"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 03/01/2020

Label: Pajama Party

“Signal Through The Flames” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Eye of the Needle

2). Seven Bells

3). Days Will Remain

4). The March of Mars

5). Nothing Left to Lose

6). ICQ

7). Kick Out the Lights

8). Night of the Black Goat

9). Into Dust

The Review:

With its powerful hooks and a fun seventies aesthetic, Ian Blurton's “Signal Through the Flames” is an absolute good time. An album that stands tall with the best of anything classic rock radio could offer.  Truly an album beyond it's time; this is a blast from the past that will surely introduce new fans to the glory of yesteryear.

Influences across the album are diverse without abandoning a central theme. A gorgeous mix of stoner riffs and vocal harmonies with a melodic bass sound and a style of drumming that was sadly lost somewhere in time. Electronics and keyboards fill out the mix with a textured atmosphere to complete the sound.

Album opener “Eye of the Needle” is of particular interest with a retro futuristic electronic atmosphere mixing with a very pleasant guitar melody that morphs into a rollicking jam rocker. On the whole, you are left wondering when Klaatu got so badass.  “The March of Mars” is a stoner masterpiece with riffs that would be very welcome on the classic “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” album. Keys round out the aesthetic, keeping things fresh while familiar. 

“Kick Out the Lights” stands out to me with its driving pace and guitar harmonies. It is just such a comfortable sound. It brings me back to a time when, despite its growing complexity, music just seemed more simple, more easy to enjoy.  The bass tone on this song is absolutely lovely. Everything that a bass line is supposed to be. A+ on that element alone.

“Signal Through the Flames” is a tribute to all the power rock that has come before it without becoming derivative. It would be easy for this album to fall into the realm of a nostalgia act, or even a work of parody, but the masterful writing and musicianship throughout keep its head held high.  Ian Blurton stands tall against the rock giants of the past, not as an imitator, but as an equal.

“Signal Through The Flames” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

VIDEO PREMIERE: Toronto based doom duo ITUS debut "Primordial"

Toronto’s ITUS is the latest in Canadian doom featuring heavy, brooding and psychedelic tones meshed with horror-inspired sounds. They have been toiling away, working on their debut EP "Primordial" set to be released on March 13, 2020. 

Atmospheric and energetic, this album is a step in a new musical direction for the duo of Brandon Lucking and Reinier Vandenbosch, and they are encouraged that the reception for their latest endeavour will be well received.  Today at THE SLUDGELORD we are debuting the title track from their EP and band had following to say about it below 

"This is the first single from Itus. Primordial uses the idea of coming out of a euphoric bliss into a hellish existence. Its lyrics comment on what forces within people work to pull society back down to chaos. This is the most aggressive song on the EP with its crisp, and aggressive guitar tones that really make it stand out from the other songs. The constant growing and changing of the layers of guitars leading to the breakdown at the end are meant to portray an increasing sense of unrest and panic."

Band info:  Facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Destroy My Brains, "InsignifiCan't"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/01/2020

Label: Independent

“InsignifiCan’t” CD//DD track listing:

1). Too Much Cocaine

2). Overdose Worshipper

3). Ropes

4). After Brutality

5). Beyond Sick V2

The Review:

In all things, there is a balance. If we tip the scales too much in one direction, we find ourselves losing what it is that we are looking for. In Doom music, there is an underlying tone of sadness that balances out the anger of traditional heavy metal. Destroy My Brains have not only found this balance, but mastered it.

With their 2020 release, “InsignifiCan’t”, these doomsters of the great white north promised to take us on a journey of "drug abuse and suicide," and they deliver in spades. I honestly can't think of a better way to describe the vibes of sonic assault you are about to experience.

At times, sludge and doom can take our beloved genre into the realms of melancholy and despair at the expense the power and aggression that brought us to the party in the first place. This is not the case with “InsignifiCan’t”. Make no mistake, this album is a banger.

From the first notes of the album's opener, "Too Much Cocaine," you know exactly what this band is all about. Violent riffs dissolve into brooding atmospheres, morphing from pained wails into walls of feedback, conjuring the howls of the damned. This, my friends, is only the first track.

The album continues its sonic assault on tracks like “Overdose Worshipper”, and “After Brutality”. A personal favorite, “Ropes”, treats us to such pained despair in is opening moments that the brutality of the second half feels entirely justified.

This is what “InsignifiCan't” does best. It takes you on a journey. Its violence and aggression cannot be achieved without the pain and distress of its atmospheres. It showcases two perfect halves of what make heavy music so enjoyable to listen to. There is cause and there is effect. There are ends and there are means.

By providing us with such a complete picture, “InsignifiCant” offers up the best of what doom has to offer, without falling into the moody trappings of the genre.

“InsignifiCant” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

TRACK PREMIRE: "Weightless Light" by Woodhawk

From the foot of the majestic Rocky Mountains hails Calgary, AB’s rock n’ roll trio Woodhawk. Masters of the straight-ahead riff rock, Woodhawk blends classic rock influences of Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy with smooth grooves, cranked amps, and heavy-hitting drums. The coalescence of melodious vocals, catchy riffs, and dynamic instrumentation creates a vast soundscape for the listener to explore. With lyrical themes of science fiction and sorcery to more recent themes of struggles and triumph, Woodhawk wears their heart on their sleeve.

A firm favourite here at sludgey aches, Woodhawk are back and readying their new album “Violent Nature” which is set for release on November 1, 2019.  Coming 2 years after their rip roaring “Beyond the Sun” record, Woodhawk returned to Rain City Recorders in Vancouver, BC during February 2019, and worked with Jesse Gander (who has worked with our very own Waingro & Heron) to to record and over the course of 2 weeks, Woodhawk have tracked their strongest effort yet, producing songs that address the struggles of mental health straight on, and laying it all on the line. Woodhawk’s new material abandons the world of fantasy in pursuit of emotional authenticity and self-discovery.

  

Woodhawk features guitarist Turner Midzain, bassist Mike Badmington, and drummer Kevin Nelson. Today we’re excited to preview a new track “Weightless Light” exclusively, but first Turner had this to say about the track.  You can stream the track below.  Turn it up loud and let your speakers die!!!

“This tune was one of the last songs we wrote for the record. We had been playing around with that opening drum beat for about a year trying to find somewhere to make it work. And without hesitation, it just clicked right in like a missing puzzle piece for the album. The songs stems from my struggle to sleep for a few months over the fall of 2018. I would wake up every night at the same time and lay awake staring at nothing. My mind would race and inhibit me from sleeping, no matter what. So I would lay in this state of almost non-existence where I couldn't tell if I was asleep, awake, alive or dead. It was an odd feeling of vulnerability. To pass the time, I would get up and play guitar in the middle of the night, until I felt I could attempt to go back to sleep for the last 45 minutes before my alarm.” -  Turner Midzain

Band info: Woodhawkriffs.com | Facebook | Youtube | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp

THE SLUDGELORD PREMIERE: Montreal quartet Modern Eyes deliver vicious new video “Hérésie”

“Tragedies Dictate Our Lives” is the first full length by Montreal quartet Modern Eyes and what you get is twelve crashing and gloomy tracks mixing elements of d-beat, crust, post metal, hardcore executed in a very defined and unique way.

Formed in 2015, Modern Eyes have released two EP’s during which they have experimented with their sound and played various showcases and Canadian Festivals.  Lyrically the new record varies from frustrations with modern systems to emotional distress caused by social oppression and every days ordeals.

Produced by Topon Das “Tragedies Dictate our Lives” should undoubtedly serve as the turning point for this Canadian quartet because on this record it achieves the perfect combination of chaotic intensity and melodic soundscapes.  With a release date set for early 2019, today THE SLUDGELORD is exclusively debuting the brand new video for the track “Hérésie” which you can check out below.  Crank this one up and watch your speakers die!!

Band info: facebook

FOR THOSE ABOOT TO ROCK: Riffs of Canada with Dopethrone (Montréal, Québec)

By: Mark Tremblay

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25/05/2018

Label: Totem Cat Records

Dopethrone are the most consistent band in the genre, and this record further cements their legacy as one of the greats.

“Transcanadian Anger” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Planet Meth

2). Wrong Sabbath

3). Killdozer

4). Scuzzgasm

5). Tweakjabber

6). Snort Dagger

7). Killbilly Krush

8). Miserablist

The Review:

Dopethrone is a no frills stoner metal band that has nothing to hide.  “Transcanadian Anger” is everything you want to hear from the band, only further refined.  With each new release, Dopethrone further solidify themselves as the Mötorhead of their genre. “Transcanadian Anger” is all substance, and no bullshit.

Dopethrone slithers out of the gate with “Planet Meth” and “Wrong Sabbath”.  These bluesy riffs are the sonic equivalent of drowning in a vat of tar; a syrupy heavy tone only made possible by Dopethrone.   The miasma of thick sludge kicks into high gear with “Killdozer” and “Scuzzgasm”. These four tracks showcase Dopethrone’s ability to create such diverse music within their brand of stoner/sludge metal.

The overall production on this record exemplifies the band’s strengths; full of lush textures, and really pushing the low end tones to the forefront of the listening experience. Even though the vocals seem quite low in the mix, they have this ominous quality to them that work perfectly in creating the soundscape that Dopethrone aspires to.

“Transcanadian Anger” is must have stoner/sludge metal record, but the listeners already knew that. Dopethrone are the most consistent band in the genre, and this record further cements their legacy as one of the greats.

“Transcanadian Anger” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

FOR THOSE ABOOT TO ROCK: Riffs of Canada with Tunguska Mammoth (Montreal, Québec)

By: Mark Tremblay

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 11/05/2018

Label: Deathbound Records

If you dig riff-centric music interspersed with triumphant vocal harmonies, this record is for you.

“Breathless” CD//DD track listing:

1. Breathless

2. Kings And Queens

3. Phénix

4. The Yellow Sign

5. New Sun

6. Le Vent

7. Lily (feat. Jared Collins)

8. We are the Night

The Review:

Tunguska Mammoth return with their new full length “Breathless”. The album is a riff-heavy nod to bands such as Beastwars and Mastodon. If you dig riff-centric metal music interspersed with triumphant vocal harmonies, this record is for you. 

The album opens with a trio of bangers in “Breathless”, “Kings and Queens” and “Phénix”. All the songs are riff-focused, but not over the top to the point of self-indulgent.  The amount of restraint witnessed showcases the band’s collective ability of performing as a unit, and serving what is best for the song.  It is nice to see the band’s French Canadian roots showcased on the record.  Songs like “Le Vent” that are sung in both French and add subtle nuance that few Canadian bands are able to utilize.

The album’s apex comes on “New Sun”. The song is a demolition of riffs and incorporates a melody that would feel right at home on a Torche record.  Overall, if you’re looking for a record that is tasteful and well-balanced, Tunguska Mammoth’s new record “Breathless” is ground zero.

“Breathless” is available here

Band info: Facebook | Bandcamp

FOR THOSE ABOOT TO ROCK: Riffs of Canada with Hashteroid [Vancouver, British Columbia]

By: Mark Tremblay

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 20/04/2018

Label: Independent

Hashteroid’s self titled album is truly one of the most enjoyable experiences one can have from heavy music in 2018.

“Hashteroid” DD track listing:

1). Freak Power

2). Black Tide

3). Stan the Wolfman

4). Green Caramel

5). Godspeed Below

6). Cool Ghost

7). ...Return to Hash Planet

The Review:

From the outset, Hashteroid’s self titled record seems like an average stoner metal experience. From the album’s artwork aesthetic, to the band’s implied interests in psychedelics, the listener gears themselves for another exercise in Sleep worship. Once the music starts however, all of these pre-conceived notions are gone. From the sheer speed, guitar solos, and focus on song melody, “Hashteroid” is an experience impossible to pin down to one genre. “Hashteroid” is an album that is forward thinking, but packs enough nostalgia to speak to die hard Mötorhead fans. If you’re looking for a truly unique experience in heavy music, look no further than “Hashteroid”, it is abundantly filled with riffs of all kinds. From the thundering rock and roll of “Freak Power” and “Godspeed Below”, to the doomier “Stan the Wolfman” and “Cool Ghost”, there is something for everyone. Each track transitions between multiple riffs, constantly keeping the listener on its toes.

None of this would be work, however, if it weren’t for great song writing by the band as a whole. The band has a great understanding of how to utilize pace, and how to properly incorporate guitar effects. Songs like “Godspeed Below” are elevated with the bands ability to incorporate small subtleties throughout.  Hashteroid’s debut record breathes new life into heavy music, while at the same time striking the right amount of nostalgia listeners love from retro metal. Hashteroid’s self titled album is truly one of the most enjoyable experiences one can have from heavy music in 2018.

“Hashteroid” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook