High on Fire - Electric Messiah

When one says, “I had a dream about Lemmy”, it is a guarantee that a really good story will follow.

In the case of Matt Pike, seminal guitarist and songwriter who has made a career in two of heavy metal’s most accomplished acts, it is certain that the dream will conclude with thunderous inspiration.

Electric Messiah is High on Fire’s eighth full length album in twenty years, and so far it sounds like their strongest in over a decade.

“Spewn From the Earth” is a cacophony of classic riffs and face shredding solos, a perfect entrance. “Steps of the Ziggurat/House of Enlil” has the feel of a procession to damnation to it, and one could easily picture ancient cults performing sacraments as Pike delivers guttural sermons. About halfway into the nine minute track, Pike purifies the spirit with a sick melodic transition, and it becomes easy to see why he has dubbed this his own “rock opera”. 

The title track is just balls out thrash and there isn’t anything you can do but get swept up in the storm. One thing that High on Fire do well is establish a flow of moods that keeps the album interesting; “Sanctioned Annihilation” begins in the exact opposite direction of “Electric Messiah”, but inevitably tears you back under the hooves of pummeling grooves. Kensel’s undeniable contribution to the music is evident here, with drumming that truly carries the song’s momentum. At 10:29 long, it is an epic that fittingly bridges the divide between Electric Messiah’s first and second half, and much can be said about the awe inspiring tangibility it leaves in its wake.

As for leaving a strong last impression, “Drowning Dog” targets the bullshit of modern day cultural partisanship, and the damnation that follows. From Sumerian cults to American political drama, High on Fire cultivate a whirlwind of chaotic rock at another level.

Produced by the effervescent genius Kurt Ballou, Electric Messiah shines on every layer. Pike, Matz, and Kensel have returned with extreme and vibrant rapture that will define the second half of their career as more than just twilight years.

Here is some of that old school to keep your ears wet while we wait for High on Fire’s new album Electric Messiah to be released on October 5th through eOne.

Deadbird - III: The Forest Within The Tree

Featuring members of Rwake, Pallbearer and at least a dozen other bands, Deadbird is a colossal project that has been collecting dust for a decade since their last album Twilight Ritual was released in 2008 through At a Loss Records. Now 20 Buck Spin has teamed with the band for a third album, The Forest Within The Tree.

Falling into the genres of sludge and post metal, Deadbird are dripping with angry raw southern doom with hints of ISIS and Neurosis. Effortlessly fusing the spirit of Arkansas with melancholy and nihilism, Deadbird is beautifully epic and packs some heavy punches. Recorded at Ardent Studios and mastered by the genius Brad Boatright of Audiosiege, The Forest Within The Tree burns on slow fuzz and atmospheric energy.

“Alexandria” is an eclectic track that resonates with elements of grunge, slowed down power grooves submerge you into a psychedelic hell on “Brought Low” and eject you into the meat grinder that is “Bone & Ash”.

While the new Deadbird album may not be something that bandwagons them out of exile into the next big thing, I do think this eight track package of gut wrenching experimentation offers some pretty tight twists. If you really want to be dragged down low and suffer morose melodies, then Deadbird might be worth checking out.

The Forest Within The Tree comes out on October 12th and can be ordered now via Bandcamp.

Spaceslug - Eye The Tide

Honoring everything from Hawkwind to Kyuss, Spaceslug explores space and sludge with incredible finesse. As the band maps out their course through celestial fuzz and doomed riffs, vocalist Bartosz Janik serenades with a gifted drawl. With very little backing them, the Polish unit has come out swinging; Eye The Tide is one of the best albums in the genre this year, and it far surpasses anything that Spaceslug have already done.

Eye The Tide is not an album you want to pass up. Seven tracks and about an hour of a creative vision that encompasses the best of post-metal. Conjured up from the darkness, the ominous bass breathes life into smokey guitar melodies that pay tribute to infinite cosmic gods. Primal stoner grooves add the essence of rock & roll, creating human substance from this audible trip.

Plummeting from the vastness of eternity, Spaceslug gifts us with graceful waves of riffs. Surrender to the cleansing waters of “Eternal Moments”, before being blown away on gusts of wind with the embers of “Words Like Stones.” In time those embers build up into an all-consuming blaze and the song becomes a meteor shower of sludge. Transcending the formulas, engross with an abundance of style and technique. “Vialys I” washes you up on a shore for a breather, and leaves you there for the perplexing build up on “Vialys II” before dragging you back out into the psychedelic cloud. “I, The Tide” is an unpredictable eleven-minute voyage through a plethora of energies that culminate into a final insurmountable doom riff that will leave you wanting more.

The musicianship on Eye The Tide is tight, spontaneous, and borrows from no shortage of influences. Before you realize you are engrossed in a treasured rhythmic dream, you will be crushed by the unrelenting dirge.

Morag Tong - Last Knell of Om

Elegant. Progessive. Compelling. Those are three words that I would use to describe the music of Morag Tong. There is surely something enchanting about the group’s slowly moving psychedelic melodies, and then they hit you with eye-opening heavy rhythms of doom that come with a specter of death. Last Knell of Om offers sensuality with tenacity, mystique with brutal cadence, and harmonies that lure you into passive submission. This is exactly the kind of music that should be envisioned when I see the name Morag Tong.

Foremost in the big chunk of things I did with my life that took up way too much time for my own good was play video games. You are probably aware of Bethesda’s popular and hugely successful title called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but nearly a decade before that was released, the giant world of Morrowind was created and for a long time it was my deliverance from the cruel shackles of this mortal world.

Around that same time period between the years of 2003 and 2006, the heavy metal underground and in particular the doom subgenres opened up before me; as I traveled through the misty shores of Morrowind’s Bitter Swamp region and scaled ash mountains beyond the Ghostfence, Electric Wizard and Candlemass accompanied me on quests into a strange world of xenophobic mystical dark elves.   

I would like to think that members of this band were sharing the same experiences all the way out in London. Morag Tong is the name of an assassin cult that perform legal writs of execution against uppity out of line nobles all throughout Morrowind, and this atmosludge group from the UK had some heavy shoes to step in when they assumed their name.

Ethereal and otherworldly, Morag Tong dance around the primal substance at the axis of the music. The overwhelming drumming from Adam Asquith and hypnotic bass of James Atha carry a palate of eclectic melody that pulls in a multitude of directions.

The tones add depth down the surreal path of Alex Clarke and Lewis Crane’s spellbinding and often empowering chords. The Last Knell of Om is a sonic bath of realization, a cryptic invitation, and probably too cool for most.

I can honestly say that if this were a terrible album I would have shit all over it with the ferocity of an angry Nord on 15 bottles of Sujamma, but finding a band that pays tribute to my favorite video game of all time without even sucking really gets my mood to some nifty plateaus.

Do you need to spend over 1800 hours on the third installment of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind to get Morag Tong? Absolutely not. Does the backdrop of that beautiful region of Tamriel provide a splendid template for where this album will take you? Of course, it does, but without it, you may likely see yourself through the doors of your own imagination and discover a fantastic place beneath the layers of Morag Tong’s atmospheric fuzz.

Khemmis - Desolation

Khemmis have cultivated a pretty awesome following in the few years that they’ve been around, as a result of their successful debut Absolution and the immediate follow up Hunted, the Denver based unit have risen up to the status of doom metal elite very quickly. With all eyes on them, expectations are a bit severe, considering they’ve only been relevant for about three years; however as the rule of nature goes, once you dive in, you either sink or swim.

Desolation stays true to the spirit of how Khemmis have done things with a sharp and meticulous artistry that unravels a broad picture of their musical influences. Not content to sit on one wave and ride it, Khemmis have meddled in a variety of forces that culminate into a beautiful diverse lexicon of doom.

Desolation maintains that potent and tight musicianship which brought Khemmis to the metal vanguard. On the edges of classic rock and desert psychedelic bliss, their harmonies provide atmospheric layering to a storm of heavier doom trodden moods. This is the kind of composition that one might anticipate from band that has already proven to be capable of so much. Their ability to weave styles together without faulting themselves on fragmented escapades that lead nowhere is an exceptional trait, and it may hold for good if there aren’t any changes which result in changes to the elementary fabric of the band.

Foreboding and bone chilling, “Bloodletting” is a tragic poetic introduction that subtly leads down the path through to curb stomping tempos and eye awakening magic within catchy stoner licks. This song sets the doctrine for what you are probably already in the know; what you’re getting here is an open door into heavy metal’s future, which appears to be secured and well on the altar of Khemmis. The stylistic rhapsodies on Desolation brought forth with charming efficiency and depth provoke thoughtful mature images. Khemmis casts a worthy lot with this cascade of riffs sweeping down from the Mile High City. 

The shifting dynamics of Ben Hutcherson and Phil Pendergast as formidable co-frontman keep an interesting twist on tones. The elegant and sometimes ethereal vocals of Pendergast are like a melodic oasis in an otherwise treacherous landscape of morose and ominous riffs forecasting niches of black and sludge. Hutcherson has evolved a bit since Hunted, showing a noticeable capability to diversify his growls and powerful shrieks, and his ill portents on “Maw of Time” particularly gave me goosebumps and sank into my skin. The contrasting forces of Hutcherson and Pendergast are like an eerie revelation of light and dark transmogrifying into angelic and hellacious expression. Pendergast’s admirable ranges and hooks provoke a robust body of emotion as the band depicts cinematic story with bewitching grace.’

“From Ruin” brings the album around full circle, with an assurance of new found strength in darkness as a lasting resolution.

If you are a fan of metal with thick bluesy guitar solos guided by that rich 70s rock vibe, and rich harmonies surrounded by a forest of dissonant guitar gloom, then Desolation is an album that you will surrender yourself to time and time again.

Album Review: Orange Goblin - The Wolf Bites Back

Thank the gods, Orange Goblin have returned from the sludge heavens to embark on yet another killer album for the good of man.

The Wolf Bites Back is a radical album that’s as good as it is loud; thunderous riffs gallop in to trample over all that is false in the land. One of the eminent stoner metal bands of the last two decades, Orange Goblin have remained relevant by refusing to slow down (as if that isn’t an oxymoron in this genre, but whatever -- you get it). The beast set forth through your speakers by Orange Goblin’s magic is unabashedly simple and to the point, and to paraphrase the chorus of “Renegade”, this music is true grit for rock & roll outlaws. This is the real shit that will hopefully make the ghosts of heavy metal’s elders proud, as The Wolf Bites Back forbids itself from any pretentious aesthetics of artsy contemporaries, and reminisces on the good old days of born to be wild heavy metal thunder.

Orange Goblin kick things off with the solid song to get you pumped up with witchery and sonic brew on the high octane sing along “Sons of Salem,” an ode to end times degeneracy rising up in the name of old school New England sorcery. You’re going to get a lot of fantasy and medieval themes here, such as on “Swords of Fire”, but it’s grounded by the raw guitar playing and bludgeoning bass. I don’t care who you are, if you put blues and heavy metal together with castles and knights, that’s a recipe for cool shit. However, let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that Orange Goblin are riding on a lyrical one trip pony. One of my favorite tracks is “Ghosts of The Primitive,” seemingly an ominous reflection of technocratic society and nihilistic corporate hegemony setting atrophy to the senses through institutionalized ignorance. The pointed lyrics of Ben Ward revolve around spacey 70s rock foundations, psychedelic fuzz, and raw groove.“The Stranger” is a rhythmic rocker with sweet serenades and blistering tones breathing life into the final half of the album. At the conclusion, OG leaves us with sinister and opaque revelations manifested in the smooth current of “Zeitgeist,” a song that sneaks along until the fiery solos sends The Wolf Bites Back atop its final plateaus.

If you’re a devoted Orange Goblin fan, then you probably already know by now that this album is a rager, but if you haven’t heard it yet then keep your expectations high. Going on over two decades, you would  think not to underestimate the probability for sacred riffs, as Orange Goblin will surely prove to you that they are more than capable of delivering for the ninth time with this badass album.

The Wolf Bites Back gets a fuck yeah on the yeah scale.

Suum - Buried Into The Grave

If an album can rip the house down with its first two minutes, then you know you’re in for a ride, and that’s exactly what Suum does on its first track “Tower Of Oblivion”. The Candlemass inspired riffs and melancholy vocal style of Mark Wolf conjure up soul sucking forces that are just too damn good to turn off. Right when you need to hear it, guitarist Painkiller sends out a maelstrom guitar solo to divide the song’s crushing first half with its ominous conclusion. In the final seconds of “Tower of Oblivion”, vocalist chants in a ghastly whisper that left me cringing -- in the best way possible.

Halfway through Buried Into The Grave’s opening salvo, you may find yourself going backward in time to an age when the doom metal scene was harvesting the ripe crops of a metal scene in need of something new. Epicus Doomicus Metallicus was released at the peak of thrash metal domination and did everything opposite from what that community was into at the time. Candlemass’s first album perfected the boundaries and culture of a gloomy overlooked sub genre that few others dared to experiment with, and to this day most of the best doom records embody the work Leif Edling’s Swedish ensemble left in place. Moody blues rock inspired by the jams of Black Sabbath forged with leviathan punk chords that stalled until death set in became a common practice in the doom metal scene, but somewhere along the line that formula became muddled with a thousand different possibilities and for better or worse the genre evolved. Suum does not muddle the formula or attempt to present an aesthetic that is anything but traditional.

By track two, one should expect that the quality of Suum is going to continue. “Black Mist” is a hypnotizing incarnation of pure doom that follows a righteous format of the genre without succumbing to bogus stereotypes. Lurking in the shadows of the Mediterranean and all its mystique, Suum have risen from the grave of the world’s greatest ancient empire to unleash one of the best debut albums in the scene on an independent label or any label for that matter.

Exciting grooves frequently bring a freshness to the otherwise apocalyptic melodrama of the album. Its titular track is a great example of this. Doom metal is at its best when the music is as invigorating as it is brooding. Empowering chords compliment primitive war drums and a cascade of enthralling vocals.

A doom metal dirge is only as good as the headbanging forewarning that precede it, and I think that Suum did a really good job of capturing both of the necessary elements that make great doom metal songs.

You can tell that the Italian unit is on top of a really pure chemistry of doom metal, and they’re not willing to muck it up, but they don’t disappoint by failing to meet the standards of the forebearers like Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass, or Reverend Bizarre, either. “Seeds of Decay” comes up from a fog in the swamp and clutches you with grooves that ooze all over the track’s 5:44 minute duration. The temptation of death and all of its fascinating entropy is superbly captured.

Like the religious iconography emblazoned on much of Suum’s media, the music of Buried Into The Grave dispels forced modernity with monolithic and antiquated mystical fury. Marco states Suum is not influenced by Christianity, but with so many doom metal bands throughout the ages using the mystical symbolism toward their own ends it just looks right in place on the band's artwork.

Suum proves that truly no greater limits need to be reached with doom metal, and that when done correctly throwbacks can still achieve quality without contriving rehashed styles. The album may be called Buried Into The Grave, but now raised from the dead, Suum is as they style themselves, doom for the doomed.

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.

Mythic Sunship - Upheaval

Blast off! Mythic Sunship are guiding us into an outer dimensional well of chunky waves created via the distorted jazz guitar playing and rock & roll grooves. Emil Thorenfeldt and Kasper Stougard ooze out mountains of riffs through the astral plane while drummer Fredrick Denning and bassist Rasmus Cleve depart into an interstellar sea of rhythms.

The music of Upheaval is absolutely hypnotic and enduring. I feel like I’m being rolled over by a supernova. The lengthy instrumentals are riding through the turbulence of eclectic grooves and about a half dozen different genres covering psychedelic atmospheric rock. Mythic Sunship's new album is the stuff of euphoric stoned bliss.

The album hits many highs and lows, crawls as slow rhythms and bursts into monolithic meltdowns of loud supercharged rock music that bend in laser light and technicolor mist. Within its second half the album feels out a dirge of weary vibes, unrelenting of in its captivating riffs and tones. Mythic Sunship are definitely ascending a higher atmosphere. 

Absent - Towards The Void

Absent have chosen a peculiar name, because there’s nothing missing from this band. Towards The Void is a monolithic debut LP from this South American three piece. Enchanting, riveting, and absolutely pummeling in every sense of the word. Absent are carving out a place worthy of honor somewhere between the apocalyptic barren landscape and infinite wheel of ethereal cosmos that defines their sound.

Towards The Void offers a cacophony of psychedelic doom and sludge within a cyclone of hypnotic reverb. Their rhythms are absolutely on point and reminiscent of early Electric Wizard, with a raw authenticity that came before the success of their majestic Dopethrone days.

Although Towards The Void only has four tracks, each song tops off at around ten minutes and assures that you’re going to be pulled into a twisting nether several times. Beyond layers of phasers and dream shaping riffs there is a tunnel through which vocalist Thiago Satyr delivers churning melodies that provoke imagery of ghastly incantation. Rocking underneath a mountain of nihilistic artistry the guitarist Luan Lima leans toward the basic formula of blues and metal. Psychedelic trips diverge off the path often into crushing climatic waves of heavy crushing chords backed by unrelenting mantras from the void. Towards The Void is righteous and burns slow, a total package of beautiful melancholy and free spirited nihilism lost in a storm of oscillating dark energy.

Lowdrive - Roller

Roller kicks your teeth in from the get go. There is nothing soft or cute about its opening track “The Last Stand”, a call to arms amidst groovy metal riffs. Much the same can be said about track deuce, “Roller”, the eponymous rocker fueled by high octane ass kicking southern style heavy metal. The music also has some strong similarities to the blues based grooves of 90s grunge and alternative hard rock. You may find yourself making several comparisons to Stone Temple Pilots and Deliverance era Corrosion of Conformity. Between the feel good vibes and good ol’ ass kicking jams in Roller, this is a real gem with a really authentic and experienced group of guys behind the helm. In a metal scene that's almost entirely over saturated with bands dependent on gimmicks, Lowdrive are creating pure old school heavy music from the heart.

 

Catch the breeze, light a doobie, have a beer and take a trip with Lowdrive.

Merlin - The Wizard

Merlin’s The Wizard is a fun and exotic album that stretches the idea of doom metal. The introduction of saxophone expands the capabilities of this storied genre to a whole new dimension. This is the brilliant kind of craftsmanship that makes an album stand out for its daring creativity. From the opener, you’ll notice that this is a band which is going to do things differently and do them well.

After you notice the groovy sax on the first track “Abyss”, you may notice the fluid interwoven follow up with the album’s next track “Gravelord.” The Wizard is a conceptual album that tells a tale and each track is intentionally set up so that you listen to this whole release sequentially. With that being said, “Gravelord” also shows what this band is capable in terms of writing awesome lyrics and catchy rhythms. The song has spellbinding melodies and an otherworldly guitar solo. The saxophone gets jazzier on “Sage’s Crystal Staff”, a shorter track but certainly a powerful addition for its incredibly hypnotic sax solos. It is backed up by the heavy foreboding song “Golem.”

The tempo is traditionally slow with synths and organs to that help to establish a thick psychedelic and at times funeral ambiance. When the sax and guitars work in tandem such as on “Iron Borne”, the band is going to a place no other band has touched in my recollection.

The grooves on The Wizard are so freaking amazing and spontaneous. What an ass kicking and unforgettable thrill ride. You’ll be relieved to know the album is only about 39 minutes long, a perfect cut out time to avoid fizzling out. Fans of anime may consider this the Cowboy Bebop of high fantasy. Drop the stellar crew in a Dungeons & Dragons setting, and this is the album you will get. At least I’m certainly drifting off into space sitting here listening to this. Merlin, please don’t let me come back down.

Album released: January 26th 2018
 

Dog Chasing Sun - Slow Burn

Brooding epic and melancholy; Dog Chasing Sun’s Slow Burn is an authentic reverie of post metallic stoner friendly tunes. For a one man project, the album is an especially noteworthy release. The album has catchy grooves and consistently heavy tracks with thick ambience to set the mood.

Some of the tracks like the creatively titled “Selldestruction” are easy to chill out and relax listening to which helps the album move along smoothly, instead of becoming monotone and dreary after about a half hour.

I would say the reverb in Slow Burn sounds awkward in the mix and at times something almost feels incomplete, but in a way it also enhances the astral trippy vibe. There’s an ethereal richness to each tune. IIt could be cool or annoying depending on how you receive the music.

Sometimes the music can get a bit repetitive and the lack of vocals does sometimes make Slow Burn feel lackluster, but it’s otherwise a solid result of one man’s vision. The variations in style and change ups are welcome and usually done practically. 
 

River Cult - Halcyon Daze

River Cult’s brand of psychedelic music is a fresh and intense sonic stampede that oozes eclectic vibes all over every passage of rock music. The brilliant odyssey of Halcyon Daze keeps going from one end to the other in a euphoric blend of atmospheric jams and pummeling eargasms expertly crafted into a fluid amalgamation too unique to describe in simple terms.

River Cult's guitarist and vocalist Sean Forlenza is an electric buzzsaw shredding wild outlandish fuzz on top of bad ass doomy riffs. His vocals are a blend of soulful eerie blues with raspy tones that somehow make the thought of swallowing glass and singing sound sexy. Layered underneath the band's artistic surface is a very raw and punk driven sound that I can not help but admire. Drummer and bassist Tav Palumbo and Anthony Mendolla respectively bring life to a dominant and loud rhythm section. Each musician in the band should be credited for their ability to envision and deliver so many styles working together without compromising the core of their music which is ultimately that organic hard metallic sound.

This three piece from Brooklyn has a very strong grasp on their creative vision. River Cult’s pedigree is somewhere on the threshold with early grunge era bands like Green River and the iconic underground bulldozers of stoner rock The Melvins. At times the band travels into such epic landscapes of musical ambition that they ascend into the territory of classic post-genre bands like Explosions In The Sky, ISIS, or Russian Circles. Also, there is definitely a very classic trippy vibe behind the guitar work as well, as you’ll notice if you’re a fan of ‘70s rockers like Peter Frampton, Eric Clapton, and Joe Walsh.

River Cult rotate between brooding melancholy to wild and carefree rock tracks charged by quick paced melodies. I would definitely recognize them as a band that is attempting to do something different and fun in the stoner rock scene. Due to the length of each song, the band is able to manage many different themes and styles with fluid ease, which makes for great listening and many different emotions. Every track is an amazing journey and nothing stalls out to become filler.

I would strongly recommend River Cult if you're into this sort of music or even if you're looking for something new. River Cult have definitely put the entire stoner rock scene on notice.  The album dropped on February 9th, 2018!

Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals - Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue

Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals second album Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue takes the listener down a thousand mad corridors and guarantees a bumpy ride. This style of sludge meets experimental death metal works wonders for Anselmo and it feels like here is where he belongs in his present state, and certainly no one knows that better than he does. 

While I do plan to write in great lengths about Anselmo, the Illegals are actually the standout contributors to this band and it would be disservice to ignore what they bring to the table. Mike DeLeon offers a plethora of talents to showcase in his riffs and change ups as their new lead guitar player. Stephen Taylor and DeLeon conjure up a wild tempest of sounds that approach the verge of old school Morbid Angel and even range around the technical versatility of Atheist. Jose Gonzalez clockwork drumming is impressive, and the dynamics of the band’s rhythms are upwards of the experimental metal wonders of Mr. Bungle. I’m often left wondering where the music is going and how many turns the band is going to take, but somehow it never actually loses focus. If Phil Anselmo weren’t the front man, every hipster in the scene would love this album for its deranged brilliance.

Although we’ve all laid to rest dreams of ever hearing the effervescent siren falsettos of Anselmo’s youth i.e. Cowboys From Hell, Power Metal, Anselmo’s continued use of guttural cries and deep scathing growls can still pack quite a punch. At times his delivery sounds tired or drained, but it feeds into the aesthetics of entropy that endear hearts to the sludge metal scene, and I picture Phil working within this realm for the long haul as years continue taking their toll. There are definitely strengths that Anselmo is capable of playing despite the wear and tear. If nothing else, the Henry Rollins influence on Anselmo comes to life stronger on the Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals albums than I’ve heard it before, with the frequent use of spoken candor in each song becoming a credible supplement to enhance his waning range.

Anselmo’s creative versatility and depth has few surviving equals, given his experience and contributions to more bands than I’ve had warm meals, and his storied history certainly propels the charm of an occult like myth. His lyrics can either be brutally forward (“Walk”, “Dress Like A Target”) or boggling with mystique (“Landing On The Mountains of Megiddo, “Pillamyd”). The lyrical content of Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue certainly contains landmines of open accusations, which aren’t deliberate or specific, but certainly broad and suggestive remarks about the state of culture today. I don’t think you’re going to get a point on this album that matches the blissful tranquility of “Jail” or sorrowful acceptance of “Nothing In Return.” Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue is an assault, not a tome.

In many ways, for his fans Anselmo remains the godhead of sludge, groove metal, and a variety of hardcore styles that intersect with Sabbath influences. Of course he’s also the subject of so much hostility due to his steadfast dedication to tongue and cheek humor and a politically incorrect ethos. His middle finger toward etiquette has on occasion led to quarrels with some of the more properly behaved and fashionably keen, and Rob Flynn.  This air of dimensions and dispositions that enshroud Phil Anselmo make it impossible to listen to an album featuring the front man without conjuring an opinion of this notoriety. It is an irremovable blot that Anselmo embraces and tackled quite well in Walk Through Exits Only, as he does again with amplified vitriol on the follow up Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue.

If anything can be taken from the second Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals album, it’s that this old monolith isn’t going anywhere soon. He has the support and independent resources to continue pissing off his haters and charming his fans. Love him or not, Anselmo’s ministry continues in the dark swamps outside of New Orleans, and the force will be heard. The madman behind Nodferatu's Lair and all of its many spawn cleverly manages transformations to overcome each storm he's faced so far, and one should expect the beast will very well do it until he's dead.

Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue was released on January 26th 2018 through Housecore in North America and distributed via Season of Mist abroad.