Battle of Mice - A Day of Nights

This record is quite old at this point (at least by my standards) but I feel that so few people I know listen to it that it needs to be shared. Julie cements herself as the finest female vocalist (that I've ever heard) in metal music. Her crooning, sexy voice can turn from a quiet, sonic sex-object to a harsh attacker in the suffocating atmosphere produced by her backing band. Featuring the musicianship of Josh Graham of Neurosis fame, you know this much talent in one place has to be too good to be true. Well, unlike most projects of the 'superground' sub-label that turn out like shit, this album definitely finds its way to the top of my personal list of 'Best Albums of All Time'.

CREEP

Tombs - Fear is the Weapon

Tombs' brand of hard-hitting blackened hardcore (which is still a shitty way of describing them since it's a great injustice to box this band up like that) is as potent as ever on this compilation of unreleased tracks that Relapse has put out for those of us rabidly waiting another offering. While Winter Hours was a very dark and morbid album, it still had a strangely 'glimmering' tone to it that almost made it seem bright. 'Fear is The Weapon' has a much darker feel to it. The bass still throbs like a beating heart underneath the walls of sound created by the guitar and drums. If you enjoyed their previous efforts you DEFINITELY need to get this.

FEAR IS THE KEY

For fans of: Jesu, Fugazi and Converge

Eagle Twin - The Unkindess of Crows

Once again Southern Lord manages to put out another great release, this time in the form of Eagle Twin's debut (YES this record is a tad bit on the old side. BUUUT after seeing these guys with Sunn I kind of...slacked on checking them out until recently). The Unkindness of Crows is a sonic journey through a very, very dark plane of existence were the only thing you can hear is the cruel jesting of crows and a low rumble constantly off in the distance. This record is as expansive as the guitar-tone herein. The baritone guitar work meanders from droning horror to elegantly executed sludginess. The drums are simultaneously spares and completely overwhelming in every sense. The vocals are very, VERY good with their blend of meditative throat-singing and seemingly ritualistic manner of storytelling. For a two piece these guys make one hell of racket.

For fans of: Halo, Sunn, Earth and Black Cobra (to some extent)


This record is for the birds

Fall of Efra - Elil

>Post-Metal/Crust

STEAL

The Atlas Moth - A Glorified Piece of Blue-Sky

The Atlas Moth are group with the usual inspirations of the Atmospheric Sludge genre; plenty of Isis and Neurosis worship but this time we find Blues and Prog Rock at the slow-throbbing heart of this monster. The sound is both monolithic and tame; a constant chaos brimming behind the walls of creaky guitars and plodding drums. This psychedelic march through head-bending territory will leave you a bit less than sane. This is a great release for anyone new to sludge or atmospheric metal.

STEAL

Across Tundras - Western Sky Ride

A western-themed sludge outfit out of Nashville, Tennessee that recently got onto my favorite local label; Saw Her Ghost Records. These dudes seem to bring together a lot and therefore, the expectations are pretty high. Luckily they shatter any preconceived notion and bring it all to the table. You've got the Neurosis style ambiance, the dirge-like composition of Harvey Milk and the underlying punkery of Melvins. These guys stop at nothing to carve a niche for themselves and they do so without even breaking a sweat.


Download

Thanks to Soundweave for the link!

Latitudes - Agonist

Most of the Sludge scene is overflowing with some very boring acts. Luckily Latitudes breaks the mold with their brand of simultaneously crushing sludge and bone-chilling melodies. The addition of a keyboardist adds depth to their gargantuan sound. The album destroys from start to finish; the opening track alone will get stuck in your head for weeks on end. Take heed; the new kings of sludge have arrived.


DOWNLOAD

BUY

Rosetta - A Determinism of Morality

Great Atmospheric Sludge from a amazing young band. Themes: Space Travel, Astral Bodies and a few others. Definitely for fans of Isis, Red Sparowes and Neurosis. A must listen for any fan of this body of work.

DOWNLOAD

BUY

Year of No Light - Nord

There are a lot of bands out there that are trying to be "experimental" right now; bands that just rehash and bastardize what other people have done. Many bands in the metal community right now have taken to the idea of mixing Shoegaze with their music and few bands have outside of Neurosis, Isis and Alcest have pulled it off to this extent. Nord is a volatile mixture of Sludge, Drone, Black Metal, Shoegaze and hardcore. Blistering guitars suddenly take flight into a foggy realm of dreamlike wilderness as the physical repeatedly slips in and out of the ethereal. This record is an unreal journey in its entirety; encompassing many genres and blending them with such finesse that it's hard to see why this record is so overlooked.



Download

PURCHASE

Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites

Rosetta has sat on my hard drive for quite some time; 2-3 years I do believe. Occasionally I would pop them on and give them a try, riding their riffs and surfing through their tides of ambiance but only recently after the 'Great Bearded One' notified me that their 'The Galilean Satellites' release is meant to be played with both discs in unison did I really become interested. Sure Neurosis and Boris have done it before (and with FANTASTIC RESULTS!) but this still peaked my interest. Sure enough I popped this on one day in the proper manner and I was blown away, a few seconds in and I was wowed to the point of shouting to my girlfriend over the blaring guitars. I immediately purchased it before the first song was over. For people that are tired of the conventional "Post-Metal" (hurr durr hipster) borefest I suggest you pick this up; it does what this whole genre is known best for without becoming trapped in the pitfalls that have ensnared so many other NeurIsis clones out there. This record is a monument to sound.


This album is comprised of two parts; disc 1 (Sludge Riff-a-thon) and disc 2 (ambient backdrop) and when combined they tell an epic story of space travel which is continued on Wake/Lift.

Recommended for fans of: Supercontinent, Tephra, Isis, Neurosis and Year of No Light

Download Disc 1
Download Disc 2

Purchase

Reka

Reka is an awesome russian screamo band that combines elements of post rock and sludge into their music to make a acidic concotion of Red Sparowes-esque instrumental passages while tapping into the ferocity of older Isis. The throat-shredding vocals twirl through ephemeral guitars while the rhythm section maintains a heavy atmosphere and driving beats. While they're relatively unknown and fairly new they deserve a lot of attention; this is one young band that needs all the exposure they can get.

Live Recording

Studio Recording

Their Last.fm page