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.

VIDEO PREMIERE: Deathnoisefrequency, "Chapter III :The Mortician`s Lamenting Dirge"

Today’s SLUDGELORD debutants are Saudi Arabia’s Deathnoisefrequency, a limitless musical experiment with an all-encompassing creepy, dark and depressive atmosphere where noise and death metal are smashed together with reckless abandon.

During the year of conception, they released a single and descended into relative silence. Through that lull, they recorded new songs, two of which will see the light of day on the debut EP: “Horrid Dirge”, set to be released July 17, 2020.

Get ready to be uncomfortable, to be sitting on the edge of your seat, this is not music for relaxation, it is tense and chaotic! The video for the single “Chapter III The Mortician’s Lamenting Dirge” sets this pattern with dark and morose visuals embossing the scathing wall of noise accompanying it. Check it out below and preorders are being taken HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Barren Womb, "Lizard Lounge"

By: Peter Morsellino


Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 22/05/2020
Label: Loyal Blood Records

 

“Lizard Lounge” CD//DD//LP track listing:


1). Cemetary Slopestyle
2). Karma As A Tour Manager
3). Hairy Palm
4). Crop Circle Jerk
5). Smokes, Let G
6). Molten Pig
7). Nerve Salad
8). Be Kind, Have Fun And Try Not To Die
9). Hydroponic Youth
10). You Do The Meth
 

The Review: 
 

Some albums just do better played at maximum volume, and boy howdy is this one of those albums.  Norwegian duo Barren Womb unleash a noisy assault upon the world with “Lizard Lounge”, an album that mixes noise rock with hardcore attitude and some good old fashioned rock and roll good times.  
 

Barren Womb make the most of their two man format with a tight sound that fills in the space nicely.  Bass junkies such as myself will be pleasantly surprised that the album feels very complete, with an extremely rich and full texture that leaves very little to be desired. Driving beats and well used guitar stylings are put together perfectly to craft a rock solid sound. 
 

On an album ripe with dessert rockers and fuzzed out proto grunge romps, the funky ass guitar riffs rein supreme.  Lending a wonderful lightness to the album, these are riffs that are undeniably fun, and will keep you dancing for the entirety of Lizard Lounge's thirty seven minute time span. 
 

“Be Kind, Have Fun, and Try Not to Die” is a shining example of a track that maintains the band's harder edge nose rock sound while being undeniably hook filled, with a gooey sing-along center.  This song is a hit, through and through. 
 

Barren Womb proves the theory that modern metal bands can be fun and catchy without needing to throw away the filthy grit to get there. “Lizard's Lounge” is an amazing take on the noise rock genre that is worthy of a spot in even the pickiest of fan's collections. 
 

“Lizard Lounge” is available HERE
 

Band info: Official || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Eye Flys, "Tub of Lard"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 20/03/2020

Label: Thrill Jockey Records

“Tub of Lard” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Tubba Lard

2). Guillotine

3). Predator and Prey

4). Not Ready for Tomorrow

5). Reality Tunnel

6). Nice Guy

7). Chapel Perilous

8). Extraterrestrial Memorandum

9). BLS

10). Perception is Gamble

The Review:

We are living in strange, troubling times. Times when people are uncertain of their futures, unsure of their safety and health. And yet out of Philadelphia comes Eye Flys, who somehow thought it to be the perfect time to release this irresponsibly heavy album, when the world needs peace and reassurance more than ever before. For shame!  Shame on Eye Flys, shame on Thrill Jockey Records for providing them an outlet, and shame on myself for loving every minute of it.

“Tub of Lard”, the debut full length from the Philadelphia quartet, is an exercise in brutality from start to finish.  On first listen, I came very close to breaking out a window from sheer excitement and the urge to break into a full mosh. It's that kind of record.  A familiar hardcore attitude is coupled perfectly with the cacophonous noise of modern sludge, creating a sound that demands your time and energy. With grooves that are just as hook filled as they are destructive, I find it hard to imagine what metal head would not be into this album.

Kicking off with the (almost) eponymous banger, “Tubba Lard”, Eye Flys begins crushing skulls from the get go. With very little preparation or warning, this album jumps right into a full-fledged mosh fest. Seriously, be aware of your surroundings when you start this bad boy up. You don't want any accidents to occur when the groove overcomes you. Right from the start, Eye Flys decides on the brutal beating that it will deliver and does not waver throughout the album's torturously brief twenty five minute run time.  Really that's my one complaint. Every track on this album is a winner, and I could do with a few more of them. I guess I like the abuse.

If you like heavy-ass, brawl inducing musical destruction, then “Tub of Lard” is most definitely worth a listen.  If you are especially prone to anger and violent outbursts in this odd, frightening nightmare we are living in, then I'd have to say give it a month or so. This one is not to be overlooked. Give a listen, but listen responsibly.

“Tub of Lard” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

TRACK PREMIERE: Heavy Harvest, "Candy"

Heavy Harvest is a noise rock trio that combines influences from noise rock, hardcore punk and stoner rock to create loud, angry and energetic songs that often feel like they’re bursting at the seams.

Following the release of their debut album “Rats” in 2017 the band have pushed their sound even further into the realm of noise rock and sludge with fast power chords giving way to dissonant guitar bursts and lyrics dealing with personal themes now dealing with more abstract subject matter: man vs. nature, man vs. machine, nature fighting back, man becoming machine. This new batch of songs was recorded at REC Studios in Geneva and the resulting album “Iron Lung”, a full-on assault on the senses and sees the group at its most unhinged both musically and lyrically.

“Iron Lung” is set for release on April 24^th and can be preordered HERE. You can check out their explosive track “Sugar” below. 

Band info: facebook || bandcamp || instagram

ALBUM REVIEW: Disastroid, "Mortal Fools"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 14/02/2020

Label: Heavy Psych Sounds Records

“Mortal Fools” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. 8hr Parking
2. Hopeless
3. Mortal Fools
4. The Crewser
5. Reset
6. Bilge
7. Insect Mind
8. Deep Well
9. Space Rodent

The Review:

San Francisco's Disastroid returns with an eclectic mix of hard hitting rock tunes. Acid dripping desert rock intermingles with fuzzed out doom and grimy proto-grunge to create a nonstop rollercoaster of riffs.

Brooding melancholy reminiscent of Alice in Chains mixes well with an overarching sense that these guys are having a great time. This dynamic is the driving force behind the album. “Mortal Fools” is a litany of contrasts, without becoming contradictory.  A yin and a yang that keeps this record spinning. 

Tracks like “Reset” greet us with a familiar bouncy rock and roll sound not unlike early Mudhoney.  In stark contrast are songs like the aptly titled “Hopeless”, with moody tones painting a bleak picture.  Keep an ear out for closing track “Space Rodent”, a bluesy romp with some delightfully crunchy guitars and an Oh so funky bass.

And speaking of the bass. I would be remiss to not make a special note of the incredible talents of bassist Travis Williams, whose superb tones lead this album straight to the top of the pile. From chunky distorted riffs to funky romps and bouncing passages, this guy is a star for sure.

“Mortal Fools” is an album that needs to be heard.  It needs to be experienced.  There is a sense of nostalgia running throughout it, but more so, a sense of origin. Disastroid takes us back to where it all began, reminding us of why we fell in love with these gritty filthy rock songs. Give it a listen. You won't regret.

“Mortal Fools” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Today Is The Day, "No Good To Anyone"

By: Peter Morsellino

 

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 28/02/2020

Label: BMG

 

“No Good to Anyone” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. No Good To Anyone

2. Attacked By An Angel

3. Son Of Man

4. Burn In Hell

5. You're All Gonna Die

6. Orland

7. Cocobolo

8. Agate

9. Callie

10. OJ Kush

11. Mercy

12. Born In Blood

13. Mexico

14. Rockets And Dreams

The Review:

Today is the Day make their triumphant return with a glimpse into the mind of Madness. A diverse offering providing an intimate glimpse into the mental state of Steve Austin. It's beautiful, it’s ugly, and it’s goddamn fantastic. “No Good to Anyone” is a trip through the weird, with no shortage of brutal stops along the way.

The mix of sounds conjured on this album is astonishing. From the demonic cacophony of the title track to “Callie”'s mournful folk stylings, Today is the Day craft an eclectic brew of insightful tunes to keep the listener thinking long after the album's completion.  “Burn in Hell” offers up sulking southern sludge in stark contrast to the pounding assault of “You're All Gonna Die”. The seventies doom riffing of “OJ Kush” stands against the haunting ethereal vocals of “Attacked by an Angel”. Almost every point on this album is balanced by a counterpoint. A contrast that keeps things fresh for repeated listens. 

Production on “No Good to Anyone” is as good as can be expected from a Steve Austin effort. Instruments and vocals shift throughout the mix, crafting an ambience that will stick in your head as you try to wrap your mind around it. Bass cuts through the mix effortlessly while Austin's vocals shift between a slurred drawl and a furious demon scream without shaking the listener from the musical experience. The drum mix stands out with an expertly produced low end, creating an interesting tribal effect. 

“Cocobolo” is a great example of all these techniques in perfect harmony. Swampy blues riffs morph into jamming stoner chords. Steve's voice shifts back and forth like only he can. Bass holds down the ensemble expertly, while the rhythm section offers up one of the best kick drum sounds I've ever heard.

“No Good to Anyone” offers up a diverse mix of jams that are sure to delight the most discerning of listeners.  While Steve Austin's past body of work certainly speaks for itself, this is a more than welcome addition. Give it a listen, get weird with it. Get mad, get sad, be grateful he's back.

“No Good to Anyone” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Montecharge, "Demons or Someone Else"

By: Josh McIntyre

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 27/12/2019

Label: Abekeit, URGENCE DISK RECORDS,

Violence In The Veins & WOOAAARGH

“Demons or Somone Else” CD//DD//LP track listing: 

1). XVIII Demons or Somone Else

2). XIV Divine Arrows

3). XIII Encircle The Earth

4). XV Wind & Waves

5). Atone II

6). XVI Cernes Profondes

7). XVII Oreste

8). Atone I

9). Atone III

10). XIX Protagonists / Antagonists

11). XX Wolves II

The Review:

It’s like our Swiss friends got together and decided to make sure 2019 was a really excellent year for heavy music in their country. We’ve been enjoying the hell out of Rorcal and Coilguns as of late and in the final days of the year Montecharge of Geneva dropped this record, making it clear that it was their turn to pummel people’s ears.

Montecharge sit somewhere between Old Man Gloom and Ken Mode, the former largely thanks to the Caleb Scofield (RIP) sounding vocals and the latter to the consistently angular rhythms. Like both bands, Montecharge sound huge. I think it’s safe to assume the instruments were captured in a rather large room. It’s a brilliant choice as it helps the synth/electronic elements sound natural as they creep and crawl around the guitars and drums throughout the album. These elements add a nuance that helps give the band some additional identity.

While some riffs are certainly mosh-worthy this is still an atmospheric record. It’s a balance that will keep both hardcore and post-metal crowds content and, overall, Montecharge sound like they could have been on the Hydra Head label back in its heyday right alongside Swiss vets Knut (whose “Challenger” album is a must for mathcore and post-metal fans). Every riff is killer, especially the first one in the final track. I only wish that, instead of having three interlude tracks, the band had expanded on “Atone II” and made it a complete song as it features guitar arpeggios over a trippy drum machine beat that is simply really freaking cool sounding. 

Montecharge have brought us an excellent example of sludgy noise rock and help keep the sound relevant decades later. The accessibility of this album must be emphasized, too, as I suspect that most fans of aggressive music would find something to enjoy here.

“Demons or Somone Else” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Colored Moth, "Dim"

By: Eeli Helin

Album Type: Full-length

Date Released: 29/08/19

Label: Wolves And Vibrancy Records

”DIM” DD//LP track listing:

1. Letters to Aldous

2. Maelstrom

3. C

4. Whataboutism

5. Cognitive Bias

6. DEL

7. The Social Darwinist Program

8. A

9. Der Blinde Uhrmacher

10. L

11. Indefinite Hiatus

12. M

13. H.useless

The Review:

Colored Moth are a German experimental band who characterise themselves as ambient noise punk, incorporating elements from noise-rock, screamo and post-hardcore, and whose second full-length album "DIM" was released on August 29th through Wolves and Vibrancy Records. Personally I wasn't exactly familiar with the band apart from hearing their previous album "Fragmenting Tensions" partly once. That is also something I slightly regret at the moment, but at least I'll now have more material to sink my teeth into. Silver linings.

Experimentalism tends to be a fancy expression, a polished way of saying "we crammed all these different approaches and influences into one, smashed them to bits and had some fun with the malformed and weird appearing jumble." Given that it's simpler just to throw around that label, the outcome also varies a lot. That tag contains a whole lot of unpredictability and uncertainty, but at best, also the source of being surprising and fascinating for the listener. Even though at times it's hard to wrap your head around their produce, Colored Moth are still from the vital and, well, colourful end of the spectrum.

"Letter to Aldous" kick starts the album in a discordant and emotionally heavy pace. The tones are abrasive and the drive is constant yet gyrating, and this continues through the second track "Maelstrom" as well. Sonically the band is close to the likes of KEN Mode and even early Daughters, though the latter is mainly my observation, don't need any purists to crawl up my ass for it. Rooted in hardcore and expressing themselves very agressively but on the contrary, tangibly touching, the album hits its first quiet waters on "C". There's four of these kind of silent, droning ambient tracks sprinkled throughout the album, respectively titled "C", "A", "L" and "M". Obviously you get the idea by just staring at those letters in that order.

After this brief pause, the band really shows it's teeth with the violently raging, noise-topped "Whataboutism", punkishly advancing and lead-wise deranged "Cognitive Bias", and the simplistical declaring of "DEL". While these tracks start to stand out at this point, it really takes a few listens to get the idea behind them. Each instrumentalist brings their own flavour and feel to the tracks, which all flow like water, all the time. After these and the following one minute dip to the caustic and scorching end of things on "The Social Darwinist Program", the album turns more sectioned and cyclical.

"A" is a bridge to "Der Blinde Uhrmacher" the first slower and perhaps the most fascinating track. The song picks up very haunting and melancholic vibes along the way, letting the listener breathe and sink into the moment. While being instrumental, it feels that Colored Moth's strongest field would surprisingly be here, amidst the less vile and chaotic fields. "L" takes us to the shiver inducing "Indefinite Hiatus". At this moment, the point I just made grows more meaningful, together with the music and compositions. After the last drone piece, the cinematic closer "H.useless" takes the tension to a new level until a tiring, slowly dying clean guitar passage comes to a well-deserved halt.

The album is very, very dualistic, even bipolar. On one hand we have this almost juvenile, rampaging critter, but on the other, there's this mature and thoughtful, oppressing but liberating being. There's a clear division between the two ends, which is why it also feels like a slam to your face each time. The flow isn't problematic at any point, but the unity feels a bit off, mainly during this one bigger, atmospherical shift. I can see the appeal to utilizing the installment approach on an album, albeit the transition is a bit curdled here. To end on a positive note, there's a great deal of beauty hidden in all this cacophony, and it's admirable. I'm surprised there hasn't been more buzz around this band lately, since "DIM" is something that should be more widely taken into account. Colored Moth doesn't reinvent the wheel here, but they show they can quite pleasantly roll it.

”DIM” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Great Falls, "A Sense Of Rest"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 21/12/2018

Label: Corpse Flower Records |

Throatruiner Records |

Init Records

 

…the band have expanded their sonic horizons to cover new levels of punishing heaviness.  Jagged shards of damaged post-hardcore now give way to crushing low-end riffs like a collision between KEN Mode and “Remission” era Mastodon

 

“A Sense Of Rest” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. The Accelerationist
2. Not-For-Sale Bodies
3. Kettle Logic
4. We Speak In Lowercase
5. Thousands Every Hour
6. Baldessari Height
7. I Go To Glory
8. Scratched Off The Canvas

The Review:

Great Falls decided to throw Album of 2018 lists into disarray with the late December release of the monstrous “A Sense Of Rest”. The Seattle trios last LP “The Fever Shed” was a taut thirty minutes of barbed noise rock fury. In the three years since its release, the band have taken their furious back catalogue as a foundation and crafted an expansive beast of an album.

“The Accelerationist” wastes no time introducing the listener to Great Falls in full flow with an onslaught of razor sharp guitar, pounding drums and churning bass. It soon becomes apparent that the band have expanded their sonic horizons to cover new levels of punishing heaviness.  Jagged shards of damaged post-hardcore now give way to crushing low-end riffs like a collision between KEN Mode and “Remission” era Mastodon. “Not-For-Sale Bodies” continues the barrage, culminating in a lumbering finale that demonstrates how much weightier “A Sense Of Rest” is compared to previous offerings. 

The highlight here is the monumental fifteen minute centrepiece, “We Speak In Lowercase”. It feels simultaneously like Great Falls unleashing all they have achieved to this point in one slow-burning epic and a huge leap into the unknown. The opening sections are unexpectedly melodic, delivered with a restraint and vulnerability that bring to mind Kowloon Walled City's amazing “Grievances” LP. Demian Johnston's vocals are at their most affecting here, from an exposed despairing howl at the beginning of the track building to an imploring scream at its climax. As the band dynamics move between quiet and loud, the tempos shift accordingly leading to a stirring slow-motion coda of shimmering reverb-heavy distortion.

It's as if Great Falls anticipated the state of awe the mind-expanding “We Speak In Lowercase” would leave the listener in by following it with “Thousands Every Hour”. The opening minute or so of screeching feedback followed by a skipped groove, one chord riff brings you back down to earth with a dose of punk rock urgency.

“A Sense Of Rest” is an incredible release from Great Falls. A perfect blend of ragged noise rock, devastating riffs, dark melody and ambitious songwriting, this LP should earn them some well-deserved attention.  

“A Sense Of Rest” is available (LP USA) HERE, (LP Europe) HERE and CD HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

WOORMS sign to Sludgelord Records! – Premiere New Song ‘Stiff Upper Lisp’, Vinyl Pre-Order Announcement and Artwork Reveal for debut "Slake"

Fresh from a string of exciting new additions to our roster of bands over at SLUDGELORD RECORDS, the aim of which is to release the best & heaviest riffs from the underground doom scene, an opportunity presented itself, that was just too cool to miss.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think the label would release more than one record, let alone, make today’s announcement of an exciting new addition to the label, which will represent the 19^th new band to come on board to THE SLUDGEORD roster.  Guys we’re stoked to welcome WOORMS.

Formed in 2017 in Louisiana, WOORMS – featuring guitarist/vocalist Joey Carbo, bassist John Robinson, and drummer Aaron Polk – are something of a sleeping colossus. Based in Baton Rouge, the band has been delivering a devastating and brutal mélange of riffs and noise-rock righteousness on the precipice of significance for some time.

Despite only being a year or so into their sonic existence WOORMS have already racked up a number of releases; a collection of demos, digital one-offs (‘Daddy Was A Masker,’ 'The Math Says, Yes') and a split with NOLA thrashers, A Hanging.

Looking for a new partnership to assist with the promotion of their debut album, SLUDGELORD RECORDS & WOORMS are now set to deliver the colossus that is "Slake" set for  its official release on January 18th 2019. Two cuts from the record have already caused a stir with ‘Mouth is a Wound’ premiering at Decibel Magazine and a second track 'Find a Meal, Find a Bed, Find a God' , which for all intents and purposes is the perfect introduction to the band.

WOORMS come across like a lumbering, symphonic noise-rock shank fight between the fattest of riffs and the thinnest of patience with the world at large. Making for a devastatingly terse and perverse experience, from the pinnacle to the point of no return, their new record "Slake" falls psychotically through the fuzz and unholy grind of bands like KARP, Jesus Lizard and Neurosis

"Slake" will be released digitally and on limited colour vinyl with full Colour gatefold sleeve and today  as well as the announcement of this massive partnership, we are premiering a new track ‘Stiff Upper Lisp’ and artwork reveal of the album (by Victor LeBlanc) , both of which you can check out below.  Preorders are also live HERE and Joey Carbo shares his views about the “Slake” artwork

The album as an entire package has always been very important to all of us. Obviously, as musicians we take our record collections very seriously. Because, it’s your work and your research as well as being art that you consume, you know? So, when I’m putting out a record the art is half the process. It all has to be presented just right or the vision may not translate. Fold out jackets and liner notes were huge to me, growing up, and to my education. I poured over those as a kid and I still do that. When I saw Victor’s work, I didn’t want another artist for this album. This painting was perfect, and I could hear the main track playing over or out of it. He took some convincing and I got that. Initially, he said no. I asked if I could try to change his mind. We met, and I talked to him about “Find a Meal, Find a Bed, Find a God” and why I thought it made his work a great fit. He had heard our music and liked it well enough or whatever, I guess, but didn’t think it was a fit for his piece. I said, let me show you this new song; it’s the reason we need this painting. Joshua M. Wilkinson at The Company did the layout and design work and we were really lucky to have him on board, and Diogo Soares at Soares Artwork in Portugal did illustrations for the inner sleeve and liner notes. We had a fucking dream team for the art on this album and that is what fans can expect for every WOORMS release. We want to put out really pretty records that crush ears and take ass. Or is it the other way ‘round?” 

Band info: Bandcamp || Facebook || Web || Instagram