Let It Breathe - Let It Breathe

Let It Breathe’s self-titled LP kicks buckets and drops organic riffs rich with holy Sabbath power all over the doom metal community.

One of the first rules I made for myself as an independent writer was that I would only write reviews for bands that were genuine. I didn’t care if I thought the music was lacking in some areas, but the bands had to at least be more than just a one dimensional image. Let It Breathe fit that criteria; they’ve definitely put a focus on really feeling the music that they put out there instead of just writing songs to be ‘cool’.

Let It Breathe hit depths even when you’re not expecting it. The tones are submerged in deep fuzzy feedback without disrupting clarity. The music soars with great melody and honesty doesn’t sound like anything one might normally expect out of a debut album. Perhaps the reason for that is in the band is technically a group of old timers and die hards from the 90s with something to prove, which might also explain the grunge meets Sabbath aesthetic I get from the LP. Stylistically the band hits pockets of Melvins, Soundgarden, Black Sabbath, and even a little bit of hardcore inspired punk behind the drum kit.

If there is anything I could say against the LP it’s that sometimes it does get a bit monotonous towards its second half, but I don’t think those are faults which cut Let It Breathe off from standing on its own two feet. For the most part Let It Breathe shines writing thunderous rock jams. Its the lengthier tracks where I can feel the music stretches too far from its fundamentals.

My final analysis is that Let It Breathe is a real breath of fresh air that comes around every so often in the metal scene. Three dudes with vision and heart deliver a solid album that may not make as much impact as many of the other albums filtering through the rubbish right now, but I definitely think it has it where it counts and die hard fans of the genre should take notice.

Shroud Eater dropping ravenous sludge with new tracks off upcoming album!

It's 2017 and I have a bunch of shit on my mind that I hate. There seems to be no resolution for all of the terrible things that humanity is capable of conjuring up on a daily basis. As I am rowing myself down this river of putrid crap which bears a stark resemblance to Styx (not the band), the enchanting shroud of gloom emanating from guitar player and vocalist Jeannie Saiz drives me on over the edge and into the pit.  

The two frontwomen of Shroud Eater are like feral dogs exploding with rapture.  Janette Valentine, bassist and backing vocalist, channels a hypnotic groove while Saiz lures the listener into a tormented meltdown of beautifully toxic energy. 

The Miami three-piece has been impressing fans of the sludge genre for several years now, and Strike The Sun represents a huge leap forward musically for the band. Although the primal fury of Dead Ends and ThunderNoise were definitely leaving craters in the doom metal community, they lacked the songcraft to elevate the music to a point where it stuck.

One listen to the track "Awaken Assassin", and it's clear that they've crossed the threshold; this is a band capable of mentally conceiving deeply woven threads of intrigue and conflict, then they break it down into good rock music. 


Beyond the wall of pummeling fuzz and distortion that has become a staple of sludge, Shroud Eater writes good music.

"Awaken Assassin" is a revelation of death on the hunt guided by the furious tempest of Shroud Eater's dark metal opus."Futile Exile" represents the powerful grip of paranoia, as explained by Jeannie Saiz, it's about a beast that never stops hunting upon fear.

Strike The Sun comes out via STB Records through digital format on July 7th and on vinyl July 8th.  Be sure to pick up what this Miami doom trio is putting down below.