Mollusk "Mollusk" Review

Now here is a band that i already had stumbled upon Bandcamp, but since i received an email requesting a review some time ago, and since i enjoyed what i heard, i thought i might just spread the word. So i might just warn you that there's no free download here. But if you're into enrich your musical culture and listen to some sludge goodness, keep on reading..

Mollusk are a rocking sludge quartet from Cincinnati / Pittsburgh and they have released last year this self-titled album with 9 sludge muscled tracks. At a first audition the structure and the sound of the songs, brought immediately to my mind the sludge band Black Cobra, it's almost impossible not to notice that, except the sound that Mollusk create is not that fuzzy. Their sound is more "controlled", think of something like Sweet Cobra. The album kicks in with an "intro" that sounds like nothing more than a warm-up for what we're about to witness. Suddenly a dam breaks and a flood of sludge follows with "Endless Mountains". From there on it's about 25 minutes of fat riffs, ambient interludes and insane drumming. One of the negative aspects of this album is that is too short, the amount of interludes i think is excessive. The songs are quite good and they left me begging for more of that rock/sludge/metal goodness. Besides digital (only for $3) The album is available on tape, and i bet that it will make it sound twice as heavy on your cassette player, so if you're interested, you can grab a copy here.

listen & buy

Art Of Burning Water "Love You Dead"

Ok kids, so today i bring you the new album from the London killing machine and one of the UK's most best kept secret, Art Of Burning Water. Heavy, raw and furious hardcore fueled crust and sludge metal attack. Totally panicked and deranged metal hardcore noise-rock for your ears. Think of Today Is The Day fucks up with the Melvins and end up in a bar fight with Converge. Buy here. 

listen | don't drink the water

Hate Ensemble

I got this email the other day by Austin from the band Hate Ensemble, these bunch of rockers began writing songs around late winter-early spring of 2011, as of now the band consists as a 4-piece. Initially, they were all going for a sound with heavy influence of bands such as: Obituary, Cro-Mags, Demolition Hammer, Integrity along the lines of those bands. Recently they've been working on some new material not recorded yet. Its more mid-tempo all around in the songs with distorted blues rifts. As for this past spring and summer, Hate Ensemble played several shows within the Philly, Jersey, and New York area. The sound of Hate Ensemble reminds me a bit of Lords, maybe a little Akimbo, Ghostlimb, all mixed together with some sludgy riffs.. They are rolling, feeling confident and there's no reason for them to slow down in the future.. i sure hope they never slow down. Show some love and at least buy them guys a beer on their bandcamp.

bandcamp