Septic Rot (now known as High Cost) - Cult of Grief (2017)

Septic Rot is your new favorite band, but you just didn't know it yet. Or at least that's what happened to me when I caught a video of them playing live recently. All I could think is "Where the fuck did this band come from, and why haven't I heard of them?". Well, first off they're from NY, and second, I'm not quite sure why I'm just getting to them now. "Cult of Grief" was released last May but it's still worth checking out today. As in now! Right fucking now!
Anyway, Septic Rot play Grinding Hardcore that pulls no punches, doesn't try any fancy stuff, and gets straight to the fucking point, which is playing catchy pissed off music. Septic Rot kind of reminds me of this local band from Detroit, called Pure Hiss. Very similar things going on in both bands. In fact, I mean I think it would be cool if they reached out to each other. Why not?
Songs explode with an array of blasts and punk beats while the guitar/bass parts are fast and furious, hellbent on burning everything to the fucking ground. The vocals kind of go back and forth between screams and shouts, and there's definitely enough sandpaper grit in them rub the skin off of your face. Together this band is just a whirlwind of cataclysmic rage, and I think it's great.
I'm hoping for more from this band in the future! Cheers! -Samir
P.S. I just found out they changed their name to High Cost.

High Cost's Facebook

Mane of the Cur - Retreat of the Glaciers (2018)

Incoming! More awesome shit from out of Portland - this time in the form of "Retreat of the Glaciers", the second album from the wicked spellcasters in Mane of the Cur. Using mystic rhythms, hard-hitting riffs, and darkness abound it strikes a chord somewhere between 70s-inspired hard rock and doom metal. It kicks off with the title track creeping in slow and mysterious with flute and synth creating an arcane atmosphere throughout a heavy, crawling instrumental jam. It isn't until the second track that the vocals come seeping out of the speakers, but when they do, they get tangled up in your soul and lead you away to disappear into the night. Generally the flute/synth/vocal combo evokes the magic on this album while the guitar/bass/drums hit the root of rock slowly and methodically like a blacksmith pounding steel. My favorite track on here (and the most doomy) has got to be "1 Bullet" with its chilling synth flutters and evil riffing. It starts out eerie but it gets real dark within the last minute of the song when things take a trippy turn and the layered vocals paint a scene of melting ghosts calling out to you. Come for the occult flavor, stay for the slow swirl of hard rock - or you could probably flip those depending on what you're into! Either way, these are some tunes you're going to want to hear. -Brandon

Mane of The Cur's Facebook

Hikan - Begotten (2018)

In the city of Curitiba, Brazil there is a one-man band putting out music like black tar bubbling out of a crack in the earth. Hikan (or 悲観) is Japanese for pessimism or disappointment - and that all makes sense when I tell you that the first two albums under the Hikan banner were woeful pieces of depressive black metal. However, the third and most recent release "Begotten" seems to turn over a new leaf (presumably a pot leaf) and transform the sound into a stonerfied force of doomy sludge. Gone are the hammering drums and crestfallen wails, and in their place are evil grooves and harsh, firey shouts - out of the darkness and into the light is a calloused, snarling monster! The first two tracks ("Begotten" and "Dirt") unfold slow and rough as though they are coming to terms with their metamorphosis from black metal to coarse stoner/sludge/doom chimeras and are tenuously clawing their way out of the cocoon to only burn under a hot sun. But with the third and fourth tracks ("Traps" and "Sick") beast is fully formed - a nasty creature massive enough to topple buildings with its swaggering riffs and aggressive attitude. Here you'll hear some scathing rhythms and hoarse vocals that could peel back layers of skin! The EP ends on a cover of Eyehategod's "Anxiety Hangover" that's sharper and more jagged than the original - it feels like someone's threatening you with a rusty knife up against your throat. I'm not sure what prompted the change in Hikan (I mean, presumably some THC) but the results speak for themselves - let this shit wreck you! -Brandon
 

Noose Rot - The Creeping Unknown (2018)

Noose Rot features members from Gatecreeper, Skeletonwitch, and Wolvhammer, and they have an OSDM sound that incorporates elements of Sludge and Death/Doom. This shit hits hard with it's production sound. Nothing fuzzy going on that's for sure. It's aggressive, it's chunky, and it's got a swamp vibe to it, while at the same time is as crushing as a wrecking ball destroying a mausoleum. I'm definitely a sucker for the slower deep sludge grooves that these dudes for sure revel in, but for the most part "The Creeping Unknown" is dedicated to bludgeoning, pulverizing Old School Death Riffs, set to the sounds of a modern production. Speaking of riffs, they're fucking contagious, with this one. I can't get enough of this that's for sure.
The guitars and bass definitely have that murky low deep thick sound to them, but like I mentioned above a certainly chunky, and resemble something that's distinctly Death Metal, and a little less Doom Metal. Definitely some hefty crunch going on here. As expected from what I've described thus far, the drums hit pretty fucking hard, and are pretty fucking relentless as well. I mean even when the drums are slowed down or whatever for a dank sludge groove, the drums are still fucking annihilating the shit out of the riffs.  The vocals are spot on perfect. They capture the feeling and atmosphere of this release keeping it strictly death growls, and high pitched shrieks. A classic sound that doesn't need to be fucked with. If it ain't broke, don't fucking fix it.
Overall, really fucking great EP. Highly recommended for sure. It delivers everything I like about Death Metal and Sludge in 4 impressive tracks. Great songwriting, great sounds, great band. Cheers! -Samir

Blue Cheese - Reborn Into Void (2018)

Blue Cheese is on the rise! No longer content to be your favorite food, now it can be your favorite band too! These dudes are sauntering out of Montreal, Québec with their second album "Reborn Into Void" - a rowdy slab of stoner rock with some dirty blues on the side. Yeah, that combo means there are riffs for days and some jams you'd have to be dead to ignore. The guitar tone attacks you with a sharp fuzz that feels like a jolt down your spine and the vocals come crashing in scratchy and rough - either this guy has been gargling with gravel or he's got some serious cottonmouth, someone get him some water! Most of these songs are packing a rugged groove with some 70s hard rock inspiration just a whiff of something wicked in the wind - a tinge of doom to twist things in the direction of darkness. The second track "Uncrowned Queen" is probably one of the most stand out tracks on here, starting with a cocky swagger that gives off some Sleep vibes (think Dragonaut) before revving the engine and taking off! But it's not a full on stoner party here, there are some dives into smoky, moody passages for you to get lost in and space out on. The title track is one of these and closes the album by letting you down nice and slow with a few heavy blows thrown in here and there. If you're not listening to this one already you're missing out, so get on it already! -Brandon

Blue Cheese's Facebook

Crimson Altar - MMXVII (2018)

The time has come to light the black candles and let the ritual commence, for Crimson Altar has arrived from Portland, Oregon and they will be leading the incantation with their newest release "MMXVII". They put out this demo in preparation for their upcoming full-length (due later this year) and if this is any indication of what's to come then they wield a shadowy power that may yet rule over us all. Crimson Altar is a wellspring of murky female-fronted doom metal with occult leanings and a sound that evokes the mystique of a spring night in Transylvania. There's an almost otherworldly duality here between the dusty riffs that feel like they're crawling out of the crypt and the fresh, nearly spiritual air that the flute and two acoustic guitar passages bring. The combination will leave you enchanted by the unnatural twilight and you may find yourself in a manic trance singing praises to Pan under the light of the full moon. Atop this are the bewitching vocals invite you to submit to your wicked inclinations and welcome the gloom of night as your mistress - and you'd have to be a fool to refuse. I'd say the band owes more to Bedemon than Blood Ceremony, but you can definitely hear the influence of both. So when you're ready to commit your heart to the darkness, you're going to want to check this out! -Brandon

Crimson Altar's Facebook

Thra - Mourn (2017)

Definitely file this under shit I missed in 2017. Well honestly, this only came out in December so I'm not too far behind on this one, but holy fuck is this a gnarly sounding blackened nugget of crust sludge. Like imagine Brainoil if you put them in the Blackened Sludge/Death Doom blender and you get Thra. This shit is nasty as fuck, and just as pissed off. These dudes play with the subtlety of cavemen, and are about as chill as a pack of mange-ridden wolves looking for their next meal. Ferocious and mean, these heavy. dissonant sun baked riffs are nothing to fuck with.
Like I mentioned Brainoil comes to mind, but when it comes to their guitar tone the only other band I can think of is Blessing The Hogs. It's a sound that's definitely more in line with other forms of Extreme Metal than your typical Stoner Doom or Sludge. Feedback is strewn between riffs and helps with creating a misanthropic atmosphere. The bass although it's hard to pinpoint sometimes in the mix, is most definitely there and it's distorted as fuck and fits right in with the overall nastiness of the band. The vocals are fantastic with its shrieking cries of hate and misery. There's also a lower death growl vocal that's employed at various times for great effect. Going along with the whole Extreme Metal vibe, the drummer seems to be avoiding the regular Stoner Doom or Sludge tendencies of just playing slow, and is pretty varied making use of interesting fills as well as decent foot work on the double kick.
I highly recommend this tasty sliver of rage inducing sludge. My only complaint is that this release is only 3 songs, and they're kinda short, so I'm definitely anticipating more! If you like your Sludge Doom being a few shades away from just being straight up Death Metal then this shit is probably for you. Great stuff! Cheers! -Samir

Thra's Facebook