Rwake: Rest (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Albums of 2011

#6 of 10

Year: 2011

Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal

Label: Relapse

TRT: 52:48

It's nice to see a band mature their sound without losing sight of who they are, and these southern sludge lords are not fucking around. While not as primal or violent as 2007's Voices of Omen, it's hardly deserving of such a sleepy title. Rwake focus more on the atmospheric side of their sound this time around, but there's still plenty of aggression to be found, and plenty of vicious grooves to be had.

01 Souls of the Sky

02 It Was Beautiful But Now It's Sour

03 An Invisible Thread

04 The Culling

05 Ti progetto

06 Was Only a Dream

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Black Sheep Wall: I Am God Songs (4.5/5)

Year: 2008
Genre: Sludge Metal
Label: PID
TRT: 60:05


Regardless of the quality of he music (which i consider quite good), this is very likely the heaviest thing I've heard in my life.

Their guitar tone is the most righteously ungodly thing ever.

It's like drowning in concrete.

01	Nihility
02	Care by Carcinogenic
03	DJewbf348thoqab
04	Modest Machine
05	Myolden
06	Lamb... gayy
07	D327ht2qwbref2 5g2
08	Ten Fucking Billion
09	Xiomara

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Julie Christmas: The Bad Wife (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Albums for 2010
#4 of 10



Year: 2010
Genre: Sludge Rock
Label: Rising Pulse
TRT: 41:51

Full disclosure, I'm pretty much a sucker for anything this woman has a hand in. Battle of Mice, Made Out of Babies...whatever. So even though I tried not to get too excited about this album when it was announced to be in the works several years ago, I had little doubt I'd be into it.

Hooray for realistic expectations. Ms. Christmas combines elements of both the aforementioned projects, but highlights a more delicate side of her muse on this release. By "delicate" I don't mean "weak", this is a very dark and ominous album, but it doesn't quite cross the line into metal this time around. "Restraint" might be a better description, as there's still a definite aggressive thread running throughout.

As one familiar with her previous work might expect, The Bad Wife is a concept album. While not immediately obvious and not entirely fleshed out, it tells the story of a woman who is desperately attached to her beloved, but in the end her co-dependency and instability drives him away from her. The fact that the details are cloudy and the outcome vague only adds to the atmosphere.

01 July 31st
02 If You Go Away
03 Bow
04 Secrets All Men Keep (Salt Bridge, Part II)
05 Six Pairs of Feet and One Pair of Legs
06 Headless Hawks
07 The Wigmaker’s Widow
08 I Just Destroyed the World
09 When Everything is Green

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Mouth of the Architect: The Violence Beneath (5/5)

Joshua's Top Five EPs for 2010
#2 of 5



Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Translation Loss
TRT: 31:07

I consider MotA to be one of my favorite post metal bands, and The Ties That Blind is an absolutely magnificent album. However, I thought that their last full length effort, Quietly (while still good), was a marked step down from their first two offerings, which dampened my expectation of their future output.

Confidence: Restored. The Violence Beneath starts off with the title track and goes straight for the jugular, almost as if to say "how dare you doubt us". These three original tracks are chocked full of pummeling riffs and grooves, but as on their first two albums they balance the aggression with tasteful ambiance and atmosphere, which at times add more weight to the mix than the heavier sections.

The post metal poster boys show a more emotional side of their muse with their closer. Opting for an interesting cover of Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes, converting the 80's pop anthem into a noisy yet restrained swirl of feedback laden doom.

01 The Violence Beneath
02 Buried Hope
03 Restore
04 In Your Eyes

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Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire: Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#8 of 10



Year: 2010
Genre: Chaotic Sludge Grind
Label: Prosthetic
TRT: 32:55

Unrelenting carnage. Even when they put the brakes on, they wreak havoc. They hate everything and everyone, and they're trying to kill you sonically.

Imagine a less sloppy Converge, combined with Crowpath and Bodies in the Gears of the Machine.


01 Teeth & Hair
02 Cloven
03 I Walked Away From The Human Race
04 Shat Out My Bones
05 Gold Frankincense & Myth
06 Recession
07 Piss
08 Bouquet Of Self Pity
09 Leather Hands
10 Made Of Coal
11 They Smeared Shit On Their Skin So They Could Blend In At Night
12 Empty
13 Remove The Light


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Year of No Light: Ausserwelt (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#7 of 10



Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Conspiracy
TRT: 48:02

Having enjoyed their 2006 debut Nord, I was interested in the direction their sophomore release would take. Turns out they decided to completely drop the post hardcore element from their sound, and completely do away with vocals. Instead, they opt to take a turn towards the atmospheric sludge sound contemporaries Mouth of the Architect, A Storm of Light and others have been championing for the past few years. It just so happens that I love that sound, and Ausserwelt is an excellent representation of it. Moody and brooding, they carry you across an ever-evolving soundscape of swirling doom that eventually drifts away on a sea of despair.

1. Perséphone (Enna)
2. Perséphone (Coré)
3. Hiérophante
4. Abbesse

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A Storm of Light: Forgive Us Our Trespasses (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#5 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Neurot
TRT: 59:35

Shortly after I bought Primitive North, this album dropped in my lap. I had no idea it was coming out, and so needless to say, I was elated.

And once again, Josh Graham and company do not disappoint.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses is a sort of apology to our planet, chronicling the human race through time, and ostinsebly our impending demise. Graham again goes to great lengths to set the mood and atmosphere, commisioning help from spoken word artist Lydia Lunch and the indemnable Jarboe, among others.

As far as I'm concerned, this album cements A Storm of Light as a sludge metal mainstay, as they continue to be the shining star in the sea of underachieving contemporaries.

01 Alpha (Law of Nature Part I)
02 Amber Waves of Grey
03 Tempest
04 The light in Their Eyes
05 Trouble is Near
06 Arc of Failure (Law of Nature Part II)
07 Midnight
08 Across the Wilderness
09 Time Our Savior (Law of Nature Part III)
10 Omega

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A Storm of Light & Nadja: Primitive North (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009
#4 of 10



Year: 2009
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Label: Robotic Empire
TRT: 66:04

A Storm of Light released a full length last year to mixed reviews. I for one loved it, but many accused Josh Graham (formerly of Red Sparowes and Battle of Mice) of, as one critic put it, "sounding too much like Neurosis without actually being Neurosis".

With this split release, Graham may have taken note and adjusted his style, because these two tracks are probably the best they've released to date, and many of the critics that lambasted the first album are grudgingly admitting improvement.

While there still exists a strong Neurosis vibe, the band seems to have added a lot more of their own style to these tracks. Huge atmospheres, texture upon texture, and even adding female vocals to the mix, all executed beautifully.

I've been disappointed with recent Nadja releases, including the seemingly dime a dozen splits and collaborations that Aidan Baker keeps insisting on releasing.

But the Nadja output is solid here. Instead of mindless drones and boring feedback, this track actually has a destination in mind. And the journey there is quite fulfilling, as Nadja takes you through a spacey and atmospheric trip leading to the eventual peak and descent into swirling nothingness.

The other three tracks are "remixes" of the original tracks, done by the the other band.

I also want to mention that the packaging for this vinyl-only release is absolutely spectacular. The artwork is intricate and stunning, very conceptual and deep.

Pressed on teal plastic, the records themselves are a sight to behold, but the real kicker is the D side. marvelous silver etchings vining their way across the surface and forming intricate patterns around the image of a raging polar bear...does it get any more badass than that?

01 Brother (A Storm of Light)
02 Sister (A Storm of Light)
03 I Make From Your Eyes the Sun (Nadja)
04 Brother (Nadja remix)
05 I Make From Your Eyes the Sun (A Storm of Light remix)

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Unsane: Visqueen (4/5)

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Year: 2007
Genre: Post Hardcore Sludge
Label: Ipecac
TRT: 42:08

Unsane has been around for close to two decades, but I just recently checked them out. As often happens with a band that's been around for so long, one loses the urgency to investigate, and they slowly get lost on an endless list of bands "to check out". So when I saw this cd for $4, I was interested, but when I flipped it over and saw they were now on Mike Patton's label, I was sold, and I bought it.

What I was immediately impressed with was the clear, upfront and meaty basslines found on this disc. Very heavy and mean sounding. The vocals are not usually something I'm fond of, but the throaty yells of Chris Spencer really feel at home here, and fit perfectly. The combination of those things paired with mid-paced and methodical drumming over sludgy, driving guitars make for an experience with an unexpected groove that makes you want to nod your head to the beat, while raising your fist in protest of...anything and everything.

01 Against the Grain
02 Last Man Standing
03 This Stops at the River
04 Only Pain
05 No One
06 Windshield
07 Shooting Clay
08 Line on the Wall
09 Disdain
10 Eat Crow
11 East Broadway

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Made Out of Babies: The Ruiner (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2008
#3 out of 10


Year: 2008
Genre: Progressive Sludge Rock
Label: The End
TRT: 42:29

I love Julie Christmas. Her work with Battle of Mice is absolutely phenomenal. So I was always miffed at the quality of this band. Nothing seemed to hit the same way, or work together as well.

Well all that has changed. The Ruiner is a delicious slice of demented pie, serving up Ms. Christmas in all her endearingly unhinged glory. Coupled with music that keeps pace while also keeping the frenetic energy grounded with solid musicianship and an insatiable appetite for groovy rhythms, catchy beats and just enough sludge to keep things nice and heavy.

01 Cooker
02 Grimace
03 Invisible Ink
04 The Major
05 Buffalo
06 Bunny Boots
07 Stranger
08 Peew
09 How to Get Bigger

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Transitional: Nothing Real Nothing Absent (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2008
#5 out of 10


Year: 2008
Genre: Shoegaze Drone Sludge
Label: Conspiracy
TRT: 33:12

Comprised of Kevin Laska and Dave Cochrane, Transitional crafts dark and moody music. This release has a decidedly old-school Heart Ache sound to it, with a good dose of Sun Down/Sun Rise as well, which is not surprising since Cochrane collaborated with Justin Broadrick on that project in the past. Oscillating between heavy lows and atmospheric highs, Transitional has put together a very satisfying release, who’s largest fault lies in it’s frustratingly inadequate length.

01 Nowhere Shining
02 Fracture
03 This Paradise, Part I
04 This Paradise, Part II
05 Lustless
06 Abandonment

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A Storm of Light: And We Wept the Black Ocean Within (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2008
#6 out of 10


Year: 2008
Genre: Dirty Post-Metal
Label: Neurot
TRT: 62:50

Another project of Josh Graham (Blood and Time, Battle of Mice, Red Sparowes) This time exploring a similar sound to that of Neurosis (who he directed visuals for). Very atmospheric and heavy, with an emphasis on sludge. Interestingly enough, Graham has said that the album’s concept has something to do with “bog bodies”, corpses that have been preserved remarkably well in the sludge of peat bogs for hundreds of years.

While some might be turned off to his gravelly vocal delivery, I personally find it to fit perfectly with the feel of the album.

01 Adrift (The Albatross I)
02 Vast and Endless
03 Black Ocean
04 Thunderhead
05 Undertow (The Albatross II)
06 Mass
07 Leaden Tide
08 Breach (The Albatross III)
09 Descent
10 Iron Heart

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Mouth of the Architect: Quietly (4/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2008
#8 out of 10



Year: 2008
Genre: Post-Metal
Label: Translation Loss
TRT: 55:38

While not as instantly likable as Ties That Bind, their 2006 offering, Quietly is a grower. It has a more subdued and contemplative tone, fitting of the album’s title. Track five also boasts a guest vocal spot by everyone’s darling, Julie Christmas, which can only ever make an album better.

download part 1
download part 2

01 Quietly
02 Hate and Heartache
03 Pine Boxes
04 Guilt and the Like
05 Generation of Ghosts
06 Rocking Chairs and Shotguns
07 Medicine
08 A Beautiful Corpse

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Cult of Luna: Eternal Kingdom (4/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2008
#9 out of 10



Year: 2008
Genre: Post-Metal
Label: Earache
TRT: 60:54

In their latest release, Cult of Luna focus more on cults and nefarious religious practices than they have in their previous work. Many stark images of owls, dark woods, cover of night, and strange rituals inundate their sludge-centered post-metal compositions. It’s pretty creepy. And by creepy, I mean awesome.

01 Owlwood
02 Eternal Kingdom
03 Ghost Trail
04 The Lure (Interlude)
05 Mire Deep
06 The Great Migration
07 Osterbotten
08 Curse
09 Ugin
10 Following Betulas

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Rosetta: The Galilean Satellites (4.5/5)

Year: 2005
Label: Translation Loss
Genre: Experimental Epic Sludge
TRT: 60:05

Taking the lead from Neurosis, The Galilean Satellites was released as a two disc set designed to be played simultaneaously. The first disc is the sludge disc, while disc two is experimental ambient noise tracks. And while it may seem slightly pretentious to release an album this way, conceptually it's pretty cool. The album tells the story of a (possibly French) "space man" who grows weary of the Earth and decides to find a better place to call home, but eventually returns when he realizes he left behind all he loved. The story of the first disc is enhanced by the second, because all the tracks are named after stars, and they exude the feeling of floating through space. When combined (as they are here), the sum becomes greater than it's parts, creating a massive, white giant of an album that sucks you in and won't let you go.

01 Departe/Deneb
02 Europa/Capella
03 Absent/Beta Aquilae
04 Itinérant/Ross 128
05 Au Pays Natal/Sol

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Battle of Mice: A Day of Nights (5/5)

Year: 2006
Label: Neurot
Genre: Dark Shoegaze Sludge
TRT: 46:02

This band is comprised of members from Made out of Babies, Red Sparowes and Book of Knots, and is singularily disturbing. Delicate to crushing in .01 seconds. I would describe their sound as a more demented Neurosis & Jarboe, or Circle Takes the Square playing ISIS.

Here's an excerb from their myspace:

"...A Day of Nights documents the savage trajectory of an interpersonal flameout. It is a litany of ominous overtones and malicious subtext, a catalogue of the poisons that conspire to choke our best intentions; a testament to the inexorable miasma of suspicion and paranoia that creeps, unannounced, into the open spaces between us all. Which isnt to say that beauty and grace cannot be the handmaidens of ugliness and dysfunction: A Day of Nights is nothing if not mesmerizing; a living, breathing monument to the optimistic notion that everything happens for a reason. And despite any unseemly events that may have transpired, there WILL be more Battle of Mice Records to come."

Definately a must-hear. But be careful where you listen to this album...it will probably terrify you and those around you.

01 Lamb and the Labrador
02 Bones in the Water
03 Sleep and Dream
04 Salt Bridge
05 Wrapped in Plain
06 At the Base of the Giant's Throat
07 Cave of Spleen

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A Swarm of the Sun: The King of Everything (4/5)

Best Metal EP of 2007

Year: 2007
Label: Version Studio
Genre: Post Metal Sludge
TRT: 23:41

The first release from this band, and it's very promising. Very heavy, and very accessible simultaneously. There's even an element of glitch electronics present, with good clean vocals backed up with good yells to round it out. Looking forward to future releases.

01 Refuge
02 King of Everything
03 A Mind Not a Mouth
04 The Grip
05 An Animal in the Shape of God
06 I Fear the End

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Minsk: The Ritual Fires of Abandonment (4.5/5)

#9 out of 10
Metal Album of 2007

Year: 2007
Label: Relapse
Genre: Psychedelic Sludge
TRT: 59:03

A lot of thought went into the making of this record, that’s very evident. A Very deep album, with many many layers to dig into. Very satisfying to listen to when you’re alone and can just sit, listen, and let your mind play over the sound waves crashing over you. Crushingly heavy, with a psychedelic atmosphere to get lost in.

01 Embers
02 White Wings
03 Mescaline Sunrise
04 The Orphans of Piety
05 Circle of Ashes
06 Ceremony ek Stasis

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Kongh: Counting Heartbeats (4.5/5)

#8 out of 10
Metal Album of 2007

Year: 2007
Label: Trust No One
Genre: Doom Metal Sludge
TRT: 64:43

Another late in the year discovery for me. A beautifully crafted disc, with five epic tracks containing some seriously groovy sludge-laden doom goodness. Not sure what else to say. Not sure what else needs to be said.

01 Pushed Beyond
02 Counting Heartbeats
03 Adapt the Void
04 Megaprimatus
05 Zihuatanejo

download part 1
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The Ocean: Precambrian (4.5/5)

#7 out of 10
Metal Album of 2007

Year: 2007
Label: Metal Blade
Genre: Progressive Sludge
TRT: Disc I/22:03 Disc II/61:41

Another “sludge metal” album, but with a twist. These Germans utilize an array of instruments not usually found on such an album. This variance allows them to step beyond the bounds of what you might expect. The xylophone, violin, piano, bells, et cetera add dynamic and beautiful textures layered above and beneath some of the heaviest tracks I heard all year. Albums with themes have always attracted me for the extra depth involved, and this two disc set is a timeline of sorts, with each track title coinciding with a different prehistoric age, delivers. And delivers. And delivers.
Review by Praemorior

#3 out of 10
Metal Album of 2007
This is a very cool album to talk about because of the thought that went into it. The early years of earth are described not only through the names of the songs but the songs themselves and the artwork the album entails. This is a dual disc album with the first disc being more abrasive and unstable like the speculated beginning of the earth. The second disc is more down-tempo sludge, but still very changing. Both albums really bring together such a feeling that I think is pushing the bounds of the current metal genre.
Review by |A Study in Temperament|

Disc I
01 Hadean
02 Eoarchaean
03 Palaeoarchaean
04 Mesoarchaean
05 Neoarchaean

Disc II
01 Siderian
02 Rhyacian
03 Orosirian
04 Statherian
05 Calymmian
06 Ectasian
07 Stenian
08 Tonian
09 Cryogenian

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