Baptists : "Beacon of Faith"

Canadian sludge punks Baptists are back. The first two songs are more punk in form as they are under two minutes. The first more original in what they are trying to do though it doesn't feel like a fully fleshed out concept and the second song is more formed but sounds like feral distorted punk, which is what they are going for but begs the question...what are they doing that we have not already heard hundreds of other hardcore bands do ? Converge would be the first who comes to mind that fills this need for me personally and they do with more darkness and sonic intensity. So by the time I get to the title track I find myself asking what do I need this band for ?  There is not a resounding answer. There is a little more roar to the drive of "Gift Taker", but nothing that sets this apart from other bands doing similar, as from the aggressive density which they pursue this.

"Capsule" is the first song that breaks the two minute mark. The first minute is pretty much build. There is a more powerful almost Jesus Lizard that rumble to the stomp they finally settle on. There is a more musical quality to the tension created here that makes it the first song to really grip me. "Outbreeding" finds them rushing back into a more furious hard core take on punk that comes fully equipped with gang vocals. They pursue this further in a more Converge like direction with "Vicarious Trauma". The guitars are more interesting the anger in the assault unleashed here is something I have already heard Converge do better. They do implement some interesting elements of atmosphere on this one which is an improvement.

The angular jerk of riff to " Victim Services" keeps their momentum, but the vocal really begin to feel like a one trick pony here. "Indigo Child" keeps the rabid attack going for the throat. But this kind of single minded offense is one your ears are quick to throw up a defense against. The more melodic passage this evolves carries over into "Eulogy Template" that follows. This gives them more breathing room to prove what their guitars are truly capable of. The vocals can't really do much more than what you have already heard from them.The last couple songs are just marginally more refined versions of the same kinda mad dog metallic hardcore these guys are normally banging out this time the production is just better on this album. They can polish this sound they have and are good at what they do so I will give them a 7 as they accomplished what they set out to do , I just already own albums that meet that need. This album comes out May 26th on Southern Lord.

Sumac : "What One Becomes"

This is a super group of sorts, consisting of Aaron Turner whose former band Isis would get flagged by the FBI if they every re-united. Along with Turner are Nick from Baptists and Brian Cook from Russian Circles. With their powers combined they make the kind of too cool for you metal you might imagine. It's sludge with post-rock nuances and math rock twists to the chugs to keep it from being more metal. The vocals have a lower more death metal grunt. They come on pounding at you then mid way into the second song the going gets weird and the atmospherics was the song way in swells of feed back. The bass tone is pretty serious and this has the potential to really bring the smack down, when not getting caught up with trying to through the math at you like they have something to prove. The drumming is technical, but still has plenty of balls.

The elven minute "Clutch of Oblivion" awakes with a slow pulse ringing out. The guitar work is very sonic , but refined. It has a western wander over it that reminds me of Kyuss' more introspective moments. The ghosts of both Isis and Russian Circles can be felt here. When the coarse roar of the vocals converges back into the song there is more of your typical sludge thing going on. Things build into a more mathematical groove midway into the song. "Blackout" takes great thought into where to place it's meticulously timed poundings. This creates a math rock meets sludge dynamic. It's hard to argue against the execution of this, but it's more of an exercise in instrumentation than a songs that really pulls me in for repeat listens. At seventeen minutes it makes this a very over indulgent exercise almost to the point of being masturbatory. At around the nine minute mark they begin to make me watch the clock. It eventually builds into something with a burlier rock groove that goes off on a Fugazi like jam.

The last song is plenty angular and plenty heavy, even building up into blast beat of sorts, but it kind falls flat on me. This is metal for people who are normally listening to Shellac. I am sure fans of These Arms are Snakes and Russian Circle are really going to dig. It has more of a pumped up noise rock vibe, than hitting you hard on the sludge tip. I'll give it a 7.5, but I know plenty of kids who are too hung up on being hip, slick and cool will be listening to this like it's a badge of courage.

Baptists : "Bloodmines"

This Vancouver band  tries to cover some of  the same ground Converge does, they are dark, angry and angular at times.This fact is further pushed into the spot light by the fact that Kurt Ballou. Their debut album "Bushcraft" was met with tremendous buzz and it really depends on how much you ask of you hard core as to if you consider this to be a sophomore slump.

When they are more straight forward like they are on "String Up" they capture the things I tend to fast forward past on a Converge album.These songs are so short they seamlessly pass from one to another.The thick meaty bass line opening "Vistas" really helps set it apart. The song takes on a stompier doom vibe, with some impressive guitar melodies lingering about. The rabid bark of  "Harm Induction" digresses into the more punk roots."Festered" follows a similar path, but both songs have a cool riff here or there, but the rule around here is that cool riffs alone don't make for a good song.

On the title track they slow down to catch a groove and slip up and write a good song. The guitar has tension. The vocals come close to singing and not just barking with abandon. "Calling" has more of a Amp Rep like feed backed bluster to it. There is also a Black Flag like element to the vocal assault.The album closes with the band back at the altar of Converge. The lower growl helps vary things a little,  but drumming is a little to simplistic.

Converge has already spoiled me on this kind of thing, so the bar is raised pretty hard. The title track tells me these guys are capable of greatness if they can calm down and focus on it. It does have it moments and I will give them a 6 for those. Not something I would listen to on a regular basis , since if  I was in the mood for this I would pull out "When Forever Comes Crashing", but you might be too young to know better if that's the case go ahead and around this up to a 7.