Heavy, Low End, Swamp...

Witchapter - Spellcaster EP (2017)

Dark, brutal, and (slightly melodic) black metal coming out of Childer Thornton, UK, with this three-song EP you should check out if you’re still mourning the loss Lord Mantis.  Starting with a bit of a groove riff, the first track, “Veiled Aggressor”, brings the thunder.  First kick of the vocals and these guys are really scratching that Lord Mantis itch with heavy low-end and those slightly distorted/reverb’d vocals.  This stuff is awesome.  Super heavy breakdown around the three-minute mark with double-tracked guitar that starts to slow and slow until you can feel the gears grinding to a halt. This is one of my blackest and favorite tracks of the year. 
Second track “Through Smoke and Sulphur” starts clean, almost with a Sabbath or Pentagram type of vibe.  One stomp of the box and the roof is blown off this track, into slow sludge with a slightly '90s vibe to it, the low end on this thing is nuts.  Ending with the final track, “Everywhere I Look I See My Grave”, Witchapter continues the sludge saunter accentuated with a huge crash 1-2 and a Weekend Nachos style de-tune.  Guitars fade and a bass groove begins and the whole thing boils back up again as Witchapter walk off with an awesome three-song EP.  Fans of Thou, look this up.

~ Dan

For Fans Of; FALSE, Thou, Lord Mantis, Demonic Death Judge

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 Witchapter - Veiled Aggressor (320 kbps)

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Loose Bills And Hurried Kills...

Cebo - Jerry EP (2015)

Built around "the life of hit songwriter/bank robber Jerry McGill (a.k.a. Curtis Buck)", this three-track debut EP from Cebo (or CEBO))), as it appears on some of the artwork) is a quick quarter-hour affair trading in melodic sludge with a sprinkling of samples for extra flavor.  There's also some blues in the mix, with inspiration taken from R.L. Burnside and Memphis Slim for a couple of tunes, making for an extra uncommon blend.  

While there's an emphasis on the instrumental side of the music, the vocals are no slouch when they get put to use, working a low gurgling growl (with a flange or phaser effect in a couple of spots) against the slow-beat drums and thick-buzzed strings.  Giving itself over pretty fully to the grooves, the music hits a thick, swampy atmosphere with style while keeping a mean edge present.  The narrative may be consumed past the point of recognizability by the style, but there's still a strong energy carrying things forward.  All around, a respectable first effort, worth checking in on for fans of honest sludge.
~ Gabriel

For Fans Of;    Hypnochron, Legalize Crime, Lightsucker, Olmeg, Slug Salt Lava

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Cebo - Jerry (320 kbps)

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