Yes, That's Sludge Oozing From Your Speaker...

In the Company of Serpents ~ Of the Flock (2013)

If you're looking for some thoroughly miserable sounding Doom Metal, man, this sounds good. Hailing from Denver, Colorado this ridiculously heavy, two piece group known as "In the Company of Serpents" have put forth their second album in as many years, "Of The Flock", and it doesn't disappoint, sonically crushing all the way through. Although, the intro track "Ash Swamp" may not give that impression as it's pretty mellow sounding, but it shouldn't stop you from hearing what else the album has to offer.

The heaviness really starts with the second track "Craven", it opens in a chaotic flurry of drums and hardcore style riffs, but levels off after just a few moments into a immensly heavy Doom/Sludge track. After about 30 seconds, you'll have no choice but to nod your head with the riffs being laid down and the gravel filled vocals are reminiscent of Crowbar right from the start. Probably my favorite track, off an album of great tracks, is "Of The Flock", opening up with a slow drum beat, then a crushing riff just pummels you for the entire duration, further and further down. This is one of those tracks that gets put on your favorite system and cranked all the way up until shit starts shaking off the walls and windows shatter. 

In the end, this whole album is heavier than damn near anything you've ever heard, with influence sounding like it comes from the heaviest of places. Passages on songs going from Sludge to down right Funeral Doom, with another song having the vibe of any Bongzilla, Stoner Doom classic. When you have a melding of that much heavy music, you know the creation yielded is going to be one heavy as hell, monolithic bastard, and that's exactly what this album and band is. And if you needed any more incentive to check them out, this release was mixed and mastered by the man Billy Anderson, his is always a good stamp of approval in my book. So, head on over to their bandcamp, and give the album a listen.

~Skip

For Fans Of; Bongzilla, Crowbar, EyeHateGod, Black Tusk, Primitive Man, Evoken

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Music With Venom...

In The Company Of Serpents - Self Titled (2012)

By now may of you regular visitors will probably be somewhat accustomed to my tastes in the genres that we cover. So many of you will know that toward the bottom of my favourites list as it were lies drone. Not too prior to that you will actually find doom. But not all doom, no no no. The classic sort of stereotype that lives with one foot in the drone genre just doesn't seem to do anything for me. But just like sludge, when you take that crushing power and throw some tight grooves into the mix, well then you've created quite a different beast. Which brings me neatly on to this Colorado based little trio. Taking whats sounds like all the unused, darker and slower riffs that have been conjured up from the mind of the godfather of doom himself, Toni Iommi, they've twisted them into their very own niche. Not being scared to break convention and pick up the pace a little in parts they've also pushed the boundaries a bit by letting fly when it comes to the skins too and track three; Immolation is a perfect example of this. Opening with the archetypal slow churning of guitars and distorted vocals that sound like they're bellowing straight from the gates of hell, the build up pays off in droves when Joseph lets the sticks fly and pounds the tempo up a few notches. Joined with some truly crushing riffs played though a perfect amount of fuzz and overdrive it really makes for a relentlessly compelling listen. I can't help but think that if Iommi, Keith Moon and Jim Morrison all merged, got heavily into the occult and opium then hired Anton LaVey as their manager they would have probably sounded like this. Or to put it another way; it's what Lucifer would have playing on the radio as Dante walked through the gates of hell. Dark, twisted and yet still conscious of having the good sense to break from the norm and mix it up. The elements of doom, drone, sludge and stoner rock serve as a great foundation to experiment with throwing in little touches of desert rock, classic rock and death metal. Unorthodox? Sure. Executed successfully? Oh yes!
Now you've gotta love a band that's entirely DIY, but you have to love them even more when they offer up their music on cassette, and limited to just 250 I must add. But we love them because they've really done us a solid and are letting us chuck up a couple of tracks for a free download. If you dig them show some love and pitch them a few bucks, 35 minutes of groove filled doom for less than the cost of a pack of smokes... Not bad. No bad at all.
~ Jay

For Fans Of; Sleep, Bong, Eagle Twin, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Mountain Witch

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In The Company Of Serpents (320kbps)