ALBUM REVIEW: Lumbar, "The First And Last Days Of Unwelcome" Reissue

By: Matt Fitton

Album Type: Full Length

Originally Released: 12/11/2013 
Resissue: 11/01/2019

Label: Southern Lord Recordings | 
Argonauta Records | Anima Recordings

 

“The First and Last Days of Unwelcome” is just a big ol' stick of Doom. If you cut it in half it would not only thank you, but it would actually say 'D-O-O-M' in giant letters down the middle. Killer riffs slower than the expansion of the sun, soaking wet with amp fuzz down tuned to -11. Harrowing and perfect in every single way”

“The First and Last Days of Unwelcome” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing:

1. Day One (05:04)

2. Day Two (02:58)

3. Day Three (02:24)

4. Day Four (02:26)

5. Day Five (02:07)

6. Day Six (05:02)

7. Day Seven (04:45)

The Review:

Lumbar is a Doom expression by three friends from the US Northwest, all of them fairly revered within their sonic circles. A project that consists of Yob's Mike Scheidt, Tad Doyle from Brothers of the Sonic Cloth and Aaron Edge (of one time Himsa). 'The First and Last Days of Unwelcome' is not only a cosmic event of grand proportions (i.e. VERY good), it also serves as a one-off snap shot of a place and time.

Lumbar has unfortunately been sidelined to just a studio project, due to the fact that Edge (who played all the music on the recording) has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and would be unable to play a musical instrument live as a consequence. Sad as this may be, it appears that you cannot keep a good man down and Edge is already formulating a new heavy endeavour in Portland for which he will be providing the vocals. We do, of course, wish him the absolute best. A good way to do this is to convey just how great this album truly is.

'The First and Last Days of Unwelcome' is seven tracks long, and numbered as days. I wish this album actually did last a week, but bucking recent Doom and Sludge trends the 7 tracks amount to 24 minutes of bite-size gold. As much as this noise fiend loves a marathon, I also like more done with less. And there is so much on offer here.

'Day One' is instant satisfaction. Scheidt's classic holler is pure Doom delight, and the music keeps up too. Beautifully morose waves of fuzz wash over you, and you realise that you're in riff country, where the real flavour lives. The bass wobbles, and the drums crash, both of them in a death grip. As if anything else was expected at all.

'Day Two' is another sullen delight. The atmospherics in the background are faint yet intricate, and when the heavy rolls in it does not disappoint. Pretty much void of any hope or light, and you would not want it any other way.

'Day Four' is just rolling crush to begin, like a rolling pin from the left hand of death. And then it becomes all wistful and echoing at the mid-point, which is tremendous. You constantly forget about the relative brevity of these tracks, due to the sheer variation that is on display at times.

Best in show goes to 'Day Six', for just being a big ol' stick of Doom. If you cut it in half it would not only thank you, but it would actually say 'D-O-O-M' in giant letters down the middle. Killer riffs slower than the expansion of the sun, soaking wet with amp fuzz down tuned to -11. Harrowing and perfect in every single way. Edge really outdid himself throughout this thing, and it serves as a fitting testament to his playing if he never manages to commit another Lumbarrecording to tape.

This is real Album of the Year contender stuff  and 'The First and Last Days of Unwelcome' could not be more of a welcome spectacle.

“The First and Last Days of Unwelcome” is available digitally & on cassette  here. LP & CD is available here

Band info: Facebook

RIFF REWIND (18/07/2013): On Pain of Death - "Year Naught Doom"

Formed in the boggiest of the boggy depths of Irelandin March '08, On Pain of Death play slow and twisted doom/sludge metal. The band played their first gig in June '08 and recorded their self-titled first demo over that same weekend and the next in Oaks Recording, Enniskillen, NI.

The band continued to play throughout the Summer and returned to Oaks at the end of September to record their next E...P which features one slab of degrading filth called "Rotting in a Tomb of Depravity". Not happy with the outcome of the recorded EP, OPoD decided to shelf the release with an intention to rework and re-record the track for a future release. A cover version of the Sepulturatrack “Troops of Doom” was recorded and released on vinyl by Blind date Records in December '09. The release featured bands such as Moloch, Thou, Aguirre, Loss and Hey Colossus all doing doomed out covers.

In the latter half of 2010 early 2011 OPoDrecorded their first album entitled "Year Naught Doom". With Handshake Inc. on board "Year Naught Doom" was released as a free download in late 2012 and subsequently released on tape in the summer of 2013 by Dry Cough Records and on LP via Sentinel Records.  Still considered an active band, but yet to release any new material for 5 years, I feel it is time to remind you all just how disgustingly bleak this album was and perhaps reignite the spark within the band to follow up this stunning record. 

Today we are rewinding the riffs back 4 years to the day in order present “Year Naught Doom”. So if you missed it the first time, be sure to remedy your error by checking out our review in full below. 

By: Matt Fitton

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:3/7/2013

Label: Dry Cough Records (Tape) |

Sentinel Records (LP)



A mind melting and deeply intoxicating injection of Sludge and Doom, You'll need to watch Disney films for a week straight afterwards just to recover from the whole damned thing. Highly recommended.

“Year Naught Doom” CS//DD track listing:

1). Year Naught Doom (11:28)

2). Tell Your God to Be Ready For Blood (13:14)

3). It Came From the Bog (17:42)

The Review:

Ireland can kick out some noise when it wants to (see: Slomatics), and some of its filthiest noise in recent years has been produced by Sludge / Doom dealers On Pain of Death. Their current opus of depraved sick riffery is 'Year Naught Doom'. It saw a vinyl release at the tail end of 2012, but is being released on tape by the mighty Dry Cough. So let's get into it, shall we?

What you get for your cash here is 3 tracks of complete Doom horror to sink your fangs into, or whatever else you might be sporting. 42 minutes of harrowing sounds to wake the dead, and probably drive the living insane.

First track shares the album title and commences this ritual with suitably slow tendencies. Soaked in atmosphere and the potential for menace, it'd probably burst into flames if it walked into direct sunlight. It rolls on at an ominous pace, heavy as hell and full of feel. The low end that this band has is thick and syrupy, just the way I like it. The riffs are droning and the drumming pounds more like a curse is being banged into existence. If you listened to this enough it might give you an infection of some kind. It's sick, in a beautiful way.

'Tell Your God to Ready For Blood' is even more destructively slow and torturous. You constantly get the feeling that something very bad is about to happen, and when it kicks in even only slightly, the effect will still produce permanent damage in your ears if played too loud. The vocals are hissing and delivered with absolute venom. They'll haunt you. By the end it's so heavy that the cup on my desk nearly went all Jurassic Park.

The album rounds out with nearly 18 minutes of 'It Came From The Bog'. I can only imagine that the 'it' in question is the sound that this band commits to murderous tape. Like the death throes of an ancient being, heard across time and space and recorded in Ireland. It's really good!

Slow, winding and intense, it's an experience that your ears will beg you to cease, and your dark heart will implore you to let continue. The feedback at the end will rupture your arteries.

I seriously advise that you get this latest offering from On Pain of Death however you can. A mind melting and deeply intoxicating injection of Sludge and Doom, weighing in more heavily on the latter. You'll need to watch Disney films for a week straight afterwards just to recover from the whole damned thing. Highly recommend

Band info: Facebook

RIFF REWIND (29/5/2013): The Moth Gatherer - "A Bright Celestial Light"

The Moth Gatherer was founded in Stockholm in 2009 by Victor Wegeborn and Alex Stjernfeldt. They started The Moth Gatherer as a sort of therapy, a way to deal with the loss of people they loved and the hole it left behind. The Moth Gathererwas a way for Alexand Victorto move on.

During 2009 and 2010 they explored their sound, and in mid 2010 they began recording what was to become their debut ”A Bright Celestial Light”. It contains 5 songs and 45 minute play time.

About the name”The Moth Gatherer” Alexcommented in an interview:”We went through some personal tragedies and felt like we were lost in darkness and we fumbled towards a source of light, just like moths. So the name The Moth Gatherer felt kind of fitting for us.”

In April 2013 they released their debut "A Bright Celestial Light" through Agonia Recordsto critical acclaim. Many reviewers praising The Moth Gatherer’sever evolving sound and atmospheric approach to song writing.  The debut was mentioned in several "best of 2013"-lists, among Metal Mouth, Close-Up Magazine, Hellbound etc.  In late 2013, Svante Karlsson joined the band to complete the line-up and to bring a sonic groove to the drums. 2014 was a year of a small tour and one off shows, while 2015 marked their first festival appearance at Devilstone Open Air. On November 27th, 2015, their second album "The Earth Is The Sky" was released. 

Today we’re rewinding back 4 years to the day, with a review of The Moth Gatherer’s phenomenal debut “"A Bright Celestial Light"”. So join us, as we continue on our quest to trawl through The Sludgelord archives to present the best albums you may have missed.  So if you overlooked this band/album, be sure to remedy your error by checking out our review and the record is streaming in full below. 

By: Matt Fitton

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/04/2013

Label: Agonia Records

For a first time offering this is some overwhelmingly good output. Huge riffs explode into existence but it retains a progressive base that it works from. This album is heavier than planets bouncing off each other.

“A Bright Celestial Light” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Water That We All Come To Need

2). Intervention

3). A Road Gravel And Skulls

4). The Womb, The Woe, The Woman

5). A Falling Deity

The Review:

If I had a fiver for every time somebody told me about some amazing new post / progressive / experimental band from Sweden I would be a very rich man. That being said, check out this awesome new Swedish band...

The Moth Gatherer are from Sweden, home to many cool bands of their ilk. They deal in the aforementioned sounds and sub-genres, but the real meat and potatoes of it is that they're really quite badass. They weave textures into their music that stay with you long after it concludes, and that way of thinking is written all over their debut album 'A Bright Celestial Light'. It can also be heavy in spades, which automatically earns them major kudos around these here parts.

The first slice of gold on offer is 'The Water That We All Come to Need'. It eases into life with some beautiful acoustic guitar strumming and a light, yet pounding beat in the background. Then it turns its head and really brings the beef. Huge riffs explode into existence but it retains a progressive base that it works from. Really impressive stuff. Heavier than planets bouncing off each other.

'Intervention'is a noisier affair from the start, but still paced out with some melodic loveliness. The tranquil moments on this record are always like the eye of a storm though, and they set you up consistently for some crushing and cavernous low-end monster sounds. Those calming parts are glorious and rightfully earn their place. The vocals are also right up there in the mix, like they're reaching for the stars from the depths.

'The Womb, The Woe, The Woman'has some terrific droning riffs that increase in impact and effect when they are twinned with the serenity that is peppered throughout the track, and indeed the entire record. I imagine it's somewhat like the feeling that a nomadic tribesman must get when he stares at the night sky to guide him. You could be in the middle of nowhere and yet still feel connected to something. This music is just like that, and this track is powerful just like that. The piano toward the halfway mark is pure icing on the cake, right before the whole thing takes a HUGE left turn into hell and becomes heavier than the Earth's core. Mag-fucking-nificent.

For a first time offering from a group that isn't really a group (there's only TWO of them involved) this is some overwhelmingly good output. This is for the real music lovers, of both the grit and the peace, and you NEED this in your life. I heartily recommend that you check the band and this record out. You won't be disappointed.

Band info: Facebook

RIFF REWIND (26/05/2013): Northumbria - "The Silver Forest"

Toronto based ambient metal duo Northumbriawere formed in 2011 by former...Holoscenemembers Jim Field and Dorian Williamson. Using only guitar and bass mega amplified and recorded live, Northumbria create a wall of improvised drones that take the listener on a sonic journey through a dystopian landscape. 

With seven releases to their name in the last 6 years, today we’re rewinding back 4 years to the day, with a review of Northumbria’ssecond release “The Silver Forest”. So join us, as we continue on our quest to trawl through The Sludgelord archives to present the best albums you may have missed.  So if you overlooked this band/album, be sure to remedy your error by checking out our review and the record is streaming in full below. 

By: Matt Fitton

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 17/05/2013

Label: Independent

These movements of music blend  seamlessly within each other and are hauntingly potent. Subtle fades, stirring melodic parts, and sometimes a heartbreaking weight. All of this creates real emotions, and real responses, from this very real music. The very best drone is often light as a feather, but in soulful terms heavy as hell.

“The Silver Forest” track listing:

1). Motion of Clouds

2). The Sun Also Rises

3). Silver Forest

The Review:

Based in Toronto, Northumbriaare an ambient drone duo that records live and only uses bass and guitar to weave their lush brand of sonic tapestry. They make music of desolation, serenity and great beauty, completely amplified (quite literally) to the nines. They've also just made a new piece of music available, the extremely impressive 'The Silver Forest'.

I was discussing this with my editor earlier, and we both touched upon the fact that what we love about drone is the innate ability that the true masters of the craft have to transport a listener to a place of complete solitude. And that is exactly what this new offering manages to accomplish in spades.

'The Silver Forest' is very much escapist music. Sounds to attempt introspection from, to search within yourself and your surroundings. Human contact and complexity is all very well and good, but we all need to slow not just ourselves, but our minds down sometimes too. Maybe to a pace of a long past way of life, or thinking. Northumbriaconstruct soundscapes that will genuinely help you on that voyage.

The piece is composed as just one track, but listed in three distinct parts: 'Motion of Clouds', followed by 'The Sun Also Rises', and concluding with 'Silver Forest'. All blend seamlessly within each other and are hauntingly potent. Subtle fades, stirring melodic parts, and sometimes a heartbreaking weight. All of this creates real emotions, and real responses, from this very real music. The very best drone is often light as a feather, but in soulful terms heavy as hell.

Before this review I was completely unaware of Northumbria, but they have been covered on the blog before. Please delve back in time and discover those articles, as I have, and treat yourself to some incredible experiences. And check out 'The Silver Forest'right now, and ease your mind for just a moment. Let Northumbriamove you somewhere else, somewhere desolate, somewhere calm and yet euphoric.

“The Silver Forest” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

RIFF REWIND (16/5/2013): Hessian - "Manegarmr"

Well it has been nearly two years since founding Editor Steve Howe left the blog, and with over 4443 articles published over the last 6 years, even the most ardent supporter of The Sludgelord, will not have read every one.   A couple of years back I had the idea over the weeks and months that have since turned into years to present a retrospective rundown of the top reviews, free downloads, bands to check out, live reviews, interviews and much more as a tribute to what Steve started, what we continue to do and what we strive to achieve in future.

New and old followers may have missed a few albums over the years, so I’m going to make amends by trying to reactivate what I original intended to do, painstakingly delving through the archives and refreshing old articles to bring them up to date in line with our new and improved format, representing old articles in the hope of attracting new fans to awesome albums we have covered over the years. 

Therefore, as we enter the third week in May 2017, we rewind to 16th May 2013 and an album by Belgium’sHessian, entitled, "Manégarmr".  This ominous metal/hardcore band would slightly revamp the band's moniker to Hessian A.D.as the band explained at the time.  "Due to legal reasons, we have been forced to change the band's name to HESSIAN A.D. on American territory. This, however, only covers U.S. territory; we will still continue to play under the old HESSIAN flag in all other parts of the world. Sadly this change is completely beyond our control and it's not very much to our liking. But, rest assured, we will continue to give this band and this music our all. Thank you all for your support."

Source http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/hessian-changes-name-to-hessian-a-d-for-american-market/#YJYoXblj1T14QQRH.99

You can dib into the album below.

By: Matt Fitton

Album Type:  Full Length

Date Released: 13/5/2013

Label:Southern Lord

Southern Lord keeps expanding its roster of talented and fast-paced groups, and the latest addition is Belgium's Hessian. They play a furious blend of metallic hardcore, laced with some black metal influence. Their debut record is 'Manegarmr', and it both shreds and kills in equally violent measure.

“Manegamr” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Ascension
2. Serpent’s Whisper
3. Mourn The World of Man
4. Plague Monger
5. Father of Greed
6. Vamacara
7. Swallowing Nails
8. Hollow Eyes
9. Manegarmr
10. Mother of Light

The Review:

Southern Lordkeeps expanding its roster of talented and fast-paced groups, and the latest addition is Belgium's Hessian. They play a furious blend of metallic hardcore, laced with some black metal influence. Their debut record is 'Manegarmr', and it both shreds and kills in equally violent measure.  Any album that starts with feedback is a plus for me. It's most definitely not just noise, and it has a justifiable place in heavy music. That said, 'Ascension' opens with feedback. Right before erupting into a cacophony of BM drumming and righteous hardcore fury. If this is a statement of intent for the album, then I'm sold.

Turns out it was. And I am.

'Serpent's Whisper' has some oddly timed and discordant riffs sewn within its structure that only enhance the mood. At its heart though is more of that virulent hardcore noise, so pure in its hatred that you cannot ignore it. This whole fucking thing is an absolute rager!!  I adored the layered and levelled riffs, they pound you into submission. This is the audio equivalent of a knee to the face.

Now, a special portion of this review will be dedicated to 'Mourn The World Of Man'. Bear with me, because I'm going to get positively pornographic over this bad boy. This is another contender for track of the year, every aspect of it is glorious to behold.  Aggressive vocals, heavy in the mid pace where it needs to be, but the real magic is found within the second half. There is this droning riff that escalates rhythmically, and then descends into madness with a DM taste. This thing is pure and absolute FILTH and I loved it. It sets the pulse racing, and you'll do that thing with your head and face where it looks like you're nodding in agreement.

'Swallowing Nails' is an absolute winner of a track title. The BM weighs heavier here than some other parts of the LP, but the riffs are still vicious and quite straight forward in their tradition. The breakdowns are immense, and you'll feel that the nails are in your ears rather than your throat.

'Hollow Eyes' is more of the same, all Slayer speed and Nails ferocity. This thing could incite a riot. It's so evil that haunted houses should be built upon it by accident, leading to some kind of bloodbath. And maybe better property planning.

This exercise in insanity winds down with 'Mother of Light', a colossal monument to sheer brute force. The eerie effect in the background perfectly complements the progressing heaviness of the riff in the foreground. It rolls on, devoid of relent or compassion. Which is nice.

Southern Lordkeeps signing these bands and making a name for itself. By no means was Hessiana gamble, but a certified slam dunk.   Armed with 'Manegarmr', you'd be a fool to bet against them. Check it out the moment it becomes available in your area.

 

Band info: Bandcamp || Facebook