Tag Archives: sludge

Mombu / Mosca Violenta – Hunting Demons

by Dæv Tremblay

a0742052546_16The presence of jazz in metal music seems to be an increasingly popular trend. Most noticeably, it’s the addition of the saxophone that’s often just enough to make us think that the band has successfully merged the two genres into one, but most of the times it’s just a clin d’œil to it, and the music itself doesn’t bear any of the subjacent characteristics of jazz.

The first ones to incorporate jazz, in a form or another, into metal were Atheist, Meshuggah, and Cynic, back in the early ’90’s. Since then, it gained in popularity and it’s … Read more

The Fifth Alliance – Death Poems

by Dæv Tremblay

Netherlands’ The Fifth Alliance is a doom/sludge band active since 2013, from what I can tell, because it’s the year of the release of their debut album, “Unrevealed Secrets of Ruin”. But today I’ll be reviewing their upcoming album, Death Poems, which will come out October 31st through Grains of Sand Records. The album also has touches of post and black metal to it.

It’s rather uncommon to hear a band in that genre that is led by a female singer. Here, Silvia delivers monotonous yet emotional screams that wouldn’t be out of place on a post-hardcore album. And … Read more

Slugdge – Dim & Slimeridden Kingdoms

by Dæv Tremblay

From their name and song titles, you might have dismissed Slugdge as yet another band who tries to be funny. But although you would be partially right, there’s much more to them than that.

With a style of humour reminiscent of Vampire Squid, relying on puns and plays on words, like “Lettuce Prey”, which is found on their previous album “Gastronomicon”. The mollusc-worshipping blackened progressive death/sludge band is now at their third full-length album in as many years, and have truly refined their overall sound. The riffs are tighter and even more enthralling than before: I just feel the … Read more

Auric – Empty Seas

by Dæv Tremblay

Auric is as sludgy as can be. With tinges of black and doom metal, this makes for a very oppressing record. It’s heavy, it’s ugly, and it’s scary.

The album starts off in your face, and it ends in your face, and there are very few moments of rest in-between (the first half of Stagnate being the most prominent one). I really like the atmospheres that are being brought in the music, just making you feel unwell. The last song, Rib Cage Prison, imports elements of post-metal too, giving to the song a different feel than the rest of … Read more

July Recommendations

by Dæv Tremblay

monthlyrecommendationsjuly

Here’s the monthly recommendations post you’ve awaited for so long! Ah, who am I kidding? I’m the only one reading this blog! Anyways, what are the unmissable releases of July 2015, according to the three-legged raven?

First off is Ethan McKenna‘s sophomore, In Transition. It’s what I’d call an acoustic prog album. Ethan makes use of advanced techniques on his acoustic, like percussive playing, loads of harmonics, and some slap and tapping too, for good measure. Even though its main focus is on the acoustic guitar, it’s well-accompanied by the usual bass and drums, and sometimes even by … Read more