The Pitch: Maryland-based Grimoire Records presents the debut full-length recording from blackened, technical grinders Sloth Herder. FFO Sepetus, Dendritic Arbor, Immortal Bird, Lord Mantis
What I Like: I don't know about you, but I saw the name Sloth Herder and assumed this is would be some trudging doom or sludge. Realign your expectations; this is anything but slow. Rather, this band continues on with the chaotic, mangled sound of the bands above. Other influences may include Imperial Triumphant and Deathspell Omega, but these guys let the grind influences flow a bit more freely a la Pyrrhon. The approach to the guitar shifts between noisey, melancholic melodies and furious, contorted technical mind-f#$kery. "Doli Incapax" provides a good summary of this duality. The various interludes deepen the contrast as we shift from the low key sorrow of "Anhedonic Pt. 1" to the violence of "Prijedor." The drumming is no less important to the equation with its molestation of the kit and primal energy, but it is the nauseating vocal delivery that really brings the most repellent qualities forward.
What I Don't Like: This is a pretty young genre, and one that is only just starting to crack mainstream consciousness, but there are already quite a few bands taking up the sound. As such Sloth Herder will need to continue to innovate in order to stay relevant. I've heard many of these ideas before.
The Verdict: A disgusting and highly technical release that is sure to cause adverse reactions in most listeners. While it's a sound I have heard more and more of in recent years, Sloth Herder have the talent to push to the top of the pack.
Flight's Fav's: Antipathic Grades, Doli Incapax, Inner Dissolution