PREMIERE: Dead Hour Noise & Deeper Graves drop their frenetic and frenzy split release

Dead House Noise

Deeper Graves

Deeper Graves

Holy shit do those damn weekends fly by, you work your goddam ass off five days a week and by the end you’re like “Thank fuck it’s Friday’.  Then in blink of an eye, its Sunday evening and you feel the dread, like “Oh man, do I really have work tomorrow”.   Yep, work does indeed suck, but today at THE SLUDGELORD, we have the perfect weekend hangover cure, with some absolutely stellar earworm from two chaotic bands, in the form of Lansing, Michigan’s Dead Hour Noise and Detroit’s Deeper Graves.

I must be said, I love a good split release, particularly when you get two seemingly disparate acts and throw them together.  Whilst on this occasion, these two acts aren’t exactly polar opposites in terms of style, that doesn’t matter when you get 4 songs of this quality.  Oh man, they are just frenetic, frenzied and absolutely blistering.  Both bands play with razor sharp intensity and the range of styles they somehow merge within the compositions, never come across as forced and are incredibly concise.  Both bands have to be commended here for delivering a kick ass record.

So, yes Monday do hit hard, but this record hits fucking harder and you can stream in full below.  It will be issued via Tomb Tree Tapes on May 18^th and you can order HERE

Dead Hour Noise: facebook || instagram || bandcamp

Deeper Graves: facebook || bandcamp

REVIEW: Dripback, "Blessed With Less Than Nothing"

By: Richard Maw


Album Type: EP

Date Released: 20/03/2020

Label: 4 Family Records  

 

“Blessed With Less Than Nothing” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Blessed With Less Than Nothing

2). Forked Tongues

3). Lack of Substance

4). Mouths Sewn Shut

5). Altered State of Consciousness

The Review:

Dripback may have been away for some time, but for those that heard them releases such as “Inhaling The Ashes” are not easily forgotten! With frontman Wez now residing abroad, the chances for the band to get together are less than they were, but they have managed to put together five incredibly potent tracks here on this short sharp and nasty EP.

The title track is the first of five and sees the band tilling the fertile soil made up of a mixture of hardcore/grind/thrash/death and any other extreme genre that fits. There's more than a touch of old school NYHC in the sound too- it reminded me of Agnostic Front at their best or even Sick of it All. The punk influences are loud and proud in “Forked Tongues “too. It's fast and furious and definitely not made for commercial reasons.

As “Lack of Substance” lashes out of the speakers, it becomes apparent that the band remain focused and powerful without having compromised on song structure or arrangement. There's nothing here under two minutes long and there are plenty of riffs and twists and turns throughout each track. “Mouths Sewn Shut” is as menacing as the title suggests with lots of aggro present in the music and vocals. “Altered States of Consciousness” finishes this evil EP in grand style.

Over the course of the five tracks, the band punches the listener repeatedly with heavy hits and low blows- it will keep you guessing and keep you engaged. If you are a fan of Nasum this will suit you just as much as if you are a fan of Poison Idea. Highly recommended.

“Blessed With Less Than Nothing” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: Baltimore Sludge/Grind Addicts MUSKET HAWK get destructive with "Dios Mio"

Baltimore Sludge/Grind Addicts MUSKET HAWK will release their long-awaited third album, “Upside of Sick” on March 29 via Unholy Anarchy Records. Continuing to plumb the depths of extremity, MUSKET HAWK seeks to annihilate any semblance of tranquillity and bruise the psyches of fans and unsuspecting victims alike. “Upside of Sick” scrapes its way through sludge reverberations, while provoking chaos through grindcore bursts with a punk aura that is as undeniable as it is palpable. 

So grab hold of something immovable and hang on for dear life as we debut a brand new track “Dios Mio” which you can check out below.  Turn it up and watch your speakers die. Pre orders are available HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

FOR THOSE ABOOT TO ROCK: Riffs of Canada with Greber [Cambridge, Ontario]

By: Mark Tremblay

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 20/02/2018

Label: Pink Lemonade Records (CD) |

Hibernation Release (CS) |

Ancient Temple Recordings  |

D7I Records | No Way Records (LP)

Greber’s pursuit of intricate heavy music pays off immensely, creating a consuming sonic experience. “Cemetery Preston” will be one of the most unique and layered experiences of this year.

“Cemetery Preston” CS//CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Backhanded Interest
2. The Wreckers
3. Prophetic
4. By Any Other Way
5. Overdraft
6. Our Burnt Treasures
7. Grave Plot
8. No One But You
9. The Closer We Got

The Review:

The sludge/grind two-piece Greber return with their new record “Cemetery Preston” and the long awaited follow up to “Kiln Hardened Psalms” showcases that the band has not lost any of its aggression with heavy music. Bassist Marc Bourgon’s tone has a chainsaw like quality to it. This tone, when mixed with drummer Steve Vargas’s unorthodox style of drumming, creates a consuming sonic experience not easily replicated.

This album flexes its efficiency through a variety of dynamics and stylistic elements; never relying on the same methods to get their point across. From the isolated bass tracks on “Prophetic” and “Overdraft”, to sequences where the drums carry the melody in “Grave Plot” and “Wreckers”, Greber have a variety of tools at their disposal. This keeps the listener engaged as the album goes through these continual peaks and valleys of emotion. It would be very easy for the band to become a plodding doom band, but have instead chosen a more nuanced approach regardless of the few elements at their disposal.

Greber’s pursuit of intricate heavy music pays off immensely. “Cemetery Preston” will be one of the most unique and layered experiences of this year.

“Cemetery Preston” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Corrupt Moral Altar - "Eunoia"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/08/2017

Label: Independent

Right off the bat, with opener "Human Cry," Corrupt Moral Altar demonstrate they have not lost an ounce of bombast or power. Their skill at overlaying guitars on guitars, and simply sandblasting your head with the kind of fire it specializes in is what has made the group renowned as one of the generation's most exciting performers

"Eunoia" DD track listing

1. Human Cry

2. Engineering Consent

3. Crime And Disease

4. Night Chant

5. Survivor's Guilt

6. Born In The Caul

7. Burning Bridges And Burning Homes

8. The All Consuming Self

9. Rat King

10. Destroying Everything You Believe In

11. Body Horror

12. On Judith's Birthday

13. Five Years

The Review:

The United Kingdom's Corrupt Moral Altar is a band you may know and love for its astoundingly fast and raw take on hardcore, thrash and grind. A demo and pair of EPs set the stage for its 2014 full length, “Mechanical Tides”. That release was popular at the moment because of its brawny sound and lyricism. Now, Corrupt Moral Altar returns with the hopes of plenty of hardcore fans on its back.

Vocalist Chris Reese has deft support in multi-instrumentalists John Cooke, Adam Clarkson and Tom Dring as Corrupt Moral Altar is back for 2017. Today, the group's return is "Eunoia." You have to appreciate dedication like this: 13 songs, and none of the one-minute-or-less variety that passes for extreme metal and can sometimes betray your eyes on first glance. Instead, you have fully formed cuts every one. By the way, the title is derived from a Greek word, but refers to the goodwill a speaker has with an audience. In this case, Corrupt Moral Altar's connection with fans is quite sturdy, for good reason.

Right off the bat, with opener "Human Cry," Corrupt Moral Altar demonstrates it has not lost an ounce of bombast or power. Its skill at overlaying guitars on guitars, and simply sandblasting your head with the kind of fire it specializes in is what has made the group renowned as one of the generation's most exciting performers. Reese keeps up the pace in spite of the ambitious package the band has offered. By the album's closer, "Five Years," which has a touch of sludge to the arrangement, one has to half-expect Reese has nearly howled himself to death. Not a chance. He goes hard until the final note.

Similarly, the rest of the group makes "Euonia" a real feast for metal devotees. The drumming on "The All Consuming Self" is savage, fast and unrelenting. The guitars in "Survivors Guilt" romp along with the vocals in a manner that feels just right. And you will come to appreciate how sharp the bass sounds on "Body Horror," complimenting the whole track and giving weight to the festivities. Beyond the individual performances, the quartet's talent at making what sounds like a flurry of sound so compelling is where you learn to appreciate "Eunoia" all the more. To the untrained ear, Corrupt Moral Altar may sound harsh as lye, but theirs is a scrumptious poison.

Finally, there are a variety of lyrical themes touched upon in "Euonia," from class divisions to religion and many other topics hardcore listeners have come to enjoy. In "Destroying Everything You Believe In," a consistent idea of pragmatism in a difficult world comes up again and again. Corrupt Moral Altar deserves credit for taking the songwriting several notches above 'religion bad, people good' that lazier acts have resorted to. "Atoms, time and mathematics/Civilization is not a sign of human progress, Reese howls. "We need to nail their tongues to the temple doors/It just feels like we are casting pearls at swine."

"Eunoia" manages to sound both aggressive and reasoned, and Corrupt Moral Altar makes it back to remind you how much they were missed.

"Eunoia" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: Human Future - "Flat Earth Blues" (EP)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 08/06/2017

Label: Truthseeker Music

This is another thrilling blend of jarring styles that Human Future bring together in seamless fashion.  Although it is a shame to lose such a distinctive voice in the UK heavy underground, the band can be proud that they went out with a bang.

“Flat Earth Blues” CD//DD track listing:

1). IV

2). Swine

3). Axiom

4). None Shall Survive Through The Churn

5). V

The Review:

Human Future’s new EP “Flat Earth Blues” is a bitter-sweet affair due to the band’s announcement of their untimely demise shortly after its release. The UK quintet’s swansong is an ambitious and exhilarating listen tinged with sadness that the potential displayed on this brief but beguiling release will go unfulfilled.

Bookended by two atmospheric keyboard soundscapes, “Flat Earth Blues” is a captivating journey through wild shifts in mood and genre. “Swine” begins in dark post-hardcore territory, an urgent razor-edged groove that comes across like a heavier Self Defense Family. The volume and intensity increases until the music drops away to an ambient cloud of hypnotic repetition and slow-burning psychedelic lead guitar. This soon erupts into a searing solo as the band strike into an epic finale that feels like the perfect meeting point between post-rock and prog.

The other main attraction here is nine-minute behemoth “None Shall Survive Through The Churn”. This is another thrilling blend of potentially jarring styles that Human Future bring together in seamless fashion. The first half of the track shifts between blissed-out choral passages and huge slabs of widescreen slide-guitar assisted heaviness that come across like a combination of Envy and Earth. The second half sees proceedings collapse into glorious controlled chaos, fuelled by some impressive drumming that teeters on the edge between mathcore complexity and all-out grindcore fury

“Flat Earth Blues” is a fine parting gesture from Human Future. Although it is a shame to lose such a distinctive voice in the UK heavy underground, the band can be proud that they went out with a bang.

“Flat Earth Blues” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

REVIEW: "Moloch/Disrotted" & "Cloud Rat/Moloch" (Splits)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Splits

Date Released: 10/05/2017 |10/04/2017

Labels: Feast of Tentacles |

Halo of Flies

“Disrotted/Molch Split 7”//DD track listing:

1). Disrotted – “Deliquium”

2). Moloch – “Fleshwound”

“Cloud Rat/Moloch Split 12”//DD track listing:

1). Clout Rat – “Sueno”

2). Cloud Rat – “Perdiak”

3). Cloud Rat – “Stench”

4). Cloud Rat – “Baby Sling (Balloon Born)”

5). Cloud Rat – “Biting the Air”

6). Cloud Rat – “Pit”

7). Cloud Rat – “Amber Flush”

8). Moloch – “The Ninth Wave/Bloody North”

9). Moloch – “Lead”

The Review:

2017 looks set to be an amazing year for Moloch. The Nottingham sludge dealers will be spreading their crushing misery across the US in support of Thou in the summer and are about to unleash a cavalcade of new releases. The first two waves in this attack are a couple of mighty splits; an LP with Michigan grind/punk whirlwind Cloud Rat and a 7” with funereal Chicago doomers Disrotted.

I’ve been hungry for more Moloch since their great 2016 split LP with Lich. The new material on offer across these two new records more than lives up to my expectations and sees the band take their sickening racket to new levels of extremity.

“The Ninth Wave / Bloody North” opens the Moloch side of the Cloud Rat split with twelve minutes of unrelenting terror. It begins with lumbering stop/start riffs and harrowing howls that establish a mood of all-encompassing dread from the very first second. The track degenerates further into a bottomless pit of despair, like a mix of Eyehategod and early Swans filtered through a grimy noise rock lens. Just when you think this treacly crawl could not get any more unpleasant, the track drops down to a lone dirty bass and screeching feedback which acts a backdrop for a harrowing sample of indecipherable barked threats and desperate tears. It’s unlikely you will hear a more distressing and powerful track this year.

“Lead” offers some relative respite from this onslaught but still consists of repetitive bludgeoning riffs. It sees Moloch expanding their sonic horizons to take in some unhinged lead guitar squalls and more expansive sounds that bring a hint of black metal to the pounding finale.

The band’s contribution to the split 7” with Disrotted is the most direct of these new tracks. Relatively perky by Moloch’s standards, it’s a hard-riffing no-nonsense sludge assault but still mired in a swamp of feedback and filth.

Moloch’s offerings on these splits see them raise their already impressive game, making them the ones to beat when it comes to ugly, messy, noise-riddled doom. My ears and soul should have recovered from the carnage inflicted by these new songs just in time to enjoy their imminent new LP.

The best part of split releases is getting introduced to killer new bands and Moloch have teamed up with first class partners here.  Disrotted contribute seven minutes of slow motion punishment to their split 7”. The band’s brand of Burning Witch-style torment is a good foil for Moloch’s more aggressive approach, unleashing molasses-thick waves of doom that wash over the listener to create a dense, hypnotic wall of sound. Once you’ve entered the dark cloud of Disrotted’s aural domain, it’s hard to pull yourself free.

Cloud Rat’s ever-shifting blend of high octane grind, crust and hardcore punk is completely captivating and a brilliant contrast to Moloch’s drudgery. “Sueno” kicks things off with a pummelling intro riff that blurs into chaotic screamo mayhem while “Baby Sling / Balloon Born” introduces some spidery, discordant guitar lines that shift into furious d-beat sections that recall the fury of the much-missed Hammers. Every track here is loaded with twists and turns that strike the right balance between complexity and no-nonsense rock fury that results in an addictive blast of cathartic fury. The hints of keyboards throughout these tracks culminate in the glorious curveball of closing track “Amber Fury”. A brooding piece of post-punk synthcore it sounds like Cold Cave being played through a broken radio. The fuzzy lo-fi production only adds to its haunting quality. Somehow this complete change of sound sits perfectly beside the chaos that precedes it and within the split LP as a whole. It demonstrates that Cloud Rat are an amazing band who could turn their hand to pretty much any genre and produce gold.

Overall, these two splits are both essential purchases that showcase three incredible underground bands. Buy now.

“Disrotted/Moloch” is available here and “Cloud Rat/Moloch” is available here and USA

Band info: Moloch Facebook || Disrotted Facebook || Clout Rat Facebook

SONG PREMIERE: "Disgrace" by Implore

Implore has toured restlessly since the release of their first LP “Depopulation” review here (Pelagic Records 2015) with more than 100 shows performed in Europe and Russia increasing this trios reputation and making the underground scene sit up and take notice

On September 11th, Implore will release a new 7” called “Thanatos”, named after the Greek mythology demon, which is the personification of the death. In addition before the end of the year, the band will tour South America for the very first time, visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. A month long tour that will undoubtedly help increase their followers with South America having  one of the most loyal and passionate audiences in the world.

New guitar player Petro Manel commented upon their forthcoming release

“Thanatos is like a deep breath of fresh air for Implore's sound. It keeps the essence of the brutality in “Depopulation” adding some new details that bring the songs to a new level. The five tracks in this new EP are full of anger and hate, experimenting with new structures, riffs, and vocal lines, keeping the straight-to-the-point philosophy that makes this new 7" a short and intense one”.

So if you’re a fan of Napalm Death, Nasum, Black Breath, you will certainly not wanna miss this release via Wooaaargh which you can preorder here.  You can also check out the track “Disgrace” which are streaming in full below

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

Anion - "Fractions of Failure" EP (Review)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 20/05/2016

Label: No List Records

Huge riffs rain down on the listener from all angles, channelling the finest moments of the Hydra Head back catalogue and delivered with the venom of Gaza. The band occasionally pause for breath to allow their spacier side to dominate but these interludes provide brief respite before they lurch back into high gear, a perfect balance of crushing groove and mathematical complexity.

“Fractions of Failure” DD//LP track listing:

1). Gods Day Off

2). Old Wounds

3). The Widower

4). Work Ethic

The Review:

“Fractions of Failure” is the first release since 2013 from Vancouver bruisers Anion. The band have been in existence since 2010 and I’m kicking myself that it’s taken me this long to sample their compelling brand of noise.

From the filthy bass riff that opens “God’s Day Off” to the ear-ringing finale of “Work Ethic”, Anion launch a relentless assault on the senses. Huge riffs rain down on the listener from all angles, channelling the finest moments of the Hydra Head back catalogue and delivered with the venom of Gaza. The band occasionally pause for breath to allow their spacier side to dominate but these interludes provide brief respite before they lurch back into high gear, a perfect balance of crushing groove and mathematical complexity.

This EP marks the debut of vocalist Sean Bouchard and drummer Tristan Helgason, both of whom make a seismic impact here. Bouchard’s aggressive bark lends a paint-stripping intensity to these tracks while Helgason’s frantic work behind the kit provides the solid foundation for the band’s punishing onslaught. The breakneck “Old Wounds” particularly benefits from some stellar drumming. The track edges toward grindcore but dirty noise rock undertones make it a stranger beast, reminiscent of Cult Leader at their most furious.

“Fractions of Failure” is an addictive blast that demands you to press play again before the dust can settle. Hopefully there’s more to come from Anion soon as these four tracks are an enticing glimpse at their powerful potential.  

“Fraction of Failure” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Magrudergrind - "II" (Album Review)

By: Mike Wilcox

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 12/02/2016

Label: Relapse Records

Now operating out of Brooklyn NY the newly revamped Magrudergrind release “ii” with every bit of intensity that their cult following had dreamed of. Yes the songs are short and painfully sweet. Yes the vocal work is scream-shouted relentlessly. There is still a very large grind element to the music. The first four tracks come across aggressive and violent and the listener is geared up to hit the ground running. As “Relentless Hatred” belts out and goes into “Sacrificial Hire” the style change is more evident. With a focus on the heavy riffs giving foundation for the blazing rhythm/vocal attacks that follow, the listener is able to fall into the groove, even if only for a second, and is then brashly escorted into chaos, a maelstrom of drums, guitar and everything in between.

“II” CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Imperium In Imperio
02. Divine Dictation
03. The Opportunist
04. Relentless Hatred
05. Sacrificial Hire
06. War For Resources
07. Black Banner
08. Hara-Kiri
09. Stale Affairs
10. Regressive Agenda
11. Incarceration State
12. Unit 731
13. Icaro
14. Husayni / Handschar
15. Pharmacide

The Review:

Magrudergrind – “II” "Expect the unexpected.” Words from Shane Embury on the upcoming Imperial Death March tour with the Melvins and Melt-Banana. I had reflected on these words when I first listened to Magrudergrind’s newest release on the heels of a six year hiatus and line up change. Now operating out of Brooklyn NY the newly revamped Magrudergrind release “II” with every bit of intensity that their cult following had dreamed of.

Kurt Ballou and GodCity Studio certainly had a hand in this (…”Ballou has done it again…” as I read elsewhere), but the true craft and shine of “II” comes from the meticulous intensity of its members. The notable difference in “II” and previous Magrudergrind recordings is that there is no longer the use of samples in the music. In fact, it’s much more of a “Bridge Burner” (Magrudergrind – “self titled”) feel overall. Yes the songs are short and painfully sweet. Yes the vocal work is scream-shouted relentlessly. There is still a very large grind element to the music. The first four tracks come across aggressive and violent and the listener is geared up to hit the ground running. As “Relentless Hatred” belts out and goes into “Sacrificial Hire” the style change is more evident. With a focus on the heavy riffs giving foundation for the blazing rhythm/vocal attacks that follow, the listener is able to fall into the groove, even if only for a second, and is then brashly escorted into chaos, a maelstrom of drums, guitar and everything in between.

The album isn’t about the fast songs in my opinion. With tracks like “Black Banner” and “Unit 731” intermittently throughout “II” the emphasis seems to be much more with the slow groove that is being spread among the faster acts. As I had touched on previously, Pig Destroyer gave us “Mass and Volume”, Agoraphobic Nosebleed is in the heat of a multi EP series featuring a focus on each member, and now Magrudergrind “slow down” with “II”. Slow isn’t the right way to characterize it, however. Structured. Intense. Deliberate. Everything that you hear was put there on purpose.

Magrudergrind’s” II” is an impeccable album in that regard. Time changes everything. Six years has given change to Magrudergrind. Typical to the polarization that comes with a band’s stylistic change, Magrudergrind’s revamped sound is not for everyone. Of course you’ll find purists wherever you go but there really is enjoyment for any fan in “II”. With the rebirth of a band comes tentative new territory, undiscovered styles and dynamics, a newly realized space for even more growth. Magrudergrind is back up and running and despite adopting some slower rhythms, they show absolutely no signs of slowing down.

“II” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook