Dirt

Alice in Chains - [1992] Dirt

The band should really need no introduction. Along with Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees etc. Alice in Chains dominated the 'grunge' scene.

Now, this is an album that for me, does absolutely nothing wrong. The album kicks off full-bore, with one of the heaviest tracks on the album "Them Bones". Layne Staley's voice is so sharp and powerful it seems to tear through the music with ease, and the harmonies produced by Layne and Jerry are almost hypnotic, and this is true for the entire album.

Did I mention Layne's voice? I know everyone focuses on him when they talk about the band, but it's truly hard not to when your frontman sounds like Jesus on crack.

As for songwriting, Jerry does most of the work on this album. Track 3, "Rain When I Die" features possibly my favourite use of the Wah pedal in existence, and the sound produced truly represents the album title (in a good way). The riffage is dirty, and the vocals sickly. Compared to track 4, "Down in a Hole" (my favourite from the album, possibly from their discography), which is a much more of a soulful ballad, it introduces some great dynamics to the album as a whole.

The themes on this album largely revolve around Staley's heroin use and depression, which is a much darker approach than their previous LP "Facelift" (also brilliant).

I can't recommend this album enough. There's really no song on this that I don't love. Writing this review is taking me ages because I keep getting sidetracked singing along.

GET IT.

Down in a Hole - Live for MTV's Unplugged. Quite possibly the greatest live video in existence.

Official: http://aliceinchains.com/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/aliceinchains

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aliceinchains

Trivia:

"Sickman" was written when Layne asked Jerry to write the most evil sounding song he could imagine.

"Rooster" was written about Jerry's father, who was a soldier in the Vietnam war, nicknamed Rooster.

If you've been living under a rock for the past 10 years, Layne Staley died in 2002 of a drug overdose. The band reformed in 2005 with singer William DuVall and released "Black Gives Way to Blue" in 2008.

Jersey Shores

Akimbo - [2008] Jersey Shores

On this release, Seattle band Akimbo have slightly deviated from the sound they further established on 2006's "Forging Steel and Laying Stone" and now the sludge elements are beginning to take over the hardcore. I can't stress enough just how epic this album feels. Track 3, "Lester Stillwell" is definitely my favourite, a song with moments of the most serene calm, and others the most heartfelt anguish, all rolled into a 12 minute package of auditory satisfaction.

The songwriting on this record is both original and impressive, with many memorable guitar licks and rhythms, which is complimented by the overall warm tone.

I honestly struggle to define this album. While it's possible to pick elements from the music and identify them, to define the album as a whole is no easy task. The best I can come up with is "Experimental, sludge infused hardcore with elements of shark."

Direct this to your ear holes.

They have a blog http://livetocrush.blogspot.com/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/akimbo

Icon

Lento - [2011] Icon

Lento are an instrumental 5 piece band from Italy (3 guitars, 1 bass, 1 drummer). This release incorporates elements of sludge, doom, hardcore and post-rock to deliver something truly powerful. The aggressive hardcore edge is obvious in many of the heavier tracks, lavished with thunderous riffage and earth-shattering drumming, which is definitely reinforced by the extra guitarist, creating a punishing tidal wave of sludge. The production on this album is fantastic, offering enough bass to massage your insides (as of this very moment, every cupboard in the room is rattling from the bass in the title track "Icon").

I wonder where you can download this...

Stream/download the album for free here: http://denovali.com/lento/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/lento

Sonic Scapes & Weedy Grooves

Belzebong - [2011] Sonic Scapes & Weedy Grooves

Ho-ly-shit. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.
I struggle to find words that can do justice in describing Belzebong's 'Sonic Scapes & Weedy Grooves'. Lured into a false sense of security by the first few seconds of the opening track, you're soon to have your head pummeled into your toes, your toes pummeled into your arse, and your arse pummeled into a fine paste. The distortion on the guitars (and bass) sounds like a motherfucking chainsaw, carving its way through your body.
Dem riffs. DEM FUCKING RIFFS. Even if you don't like marijuana, if you like groovy, spacious, and heavy music, you will love this band. If you like marijuana, you will fucking love this band.
The artwork for this band is awesome too.
Check out the album art in high resolution, and this badass piece of art in super high res.

Stream the entire album for free on Bandcamp.
Follow them on Facebook for any updates (they mentioned plans for vinyl).
Download it here.

Machine Dreams

Little Dragon - [2009] Machine Dreams

Little Dragon are an electronic outfit from Sweden. The singer is a hybrid of Japanese and Swedish, while the other members are quite blatantly pure Swedish (you'll understand when you see the keyboardist's beard). Some of the music appears shallow at first, particularly the verses in the track 'My Step', however listen to this properly and you'll soon appreciate all the spacey, tripped out sounds strewn through the song, and the entire album.

To me, Machine Dreams sounds like drugs, before you've even taken the drugs. Some tracks are mellow, and remind me of Massive Attack's 'Mezzanine', however rather than the saucy British vibe, you get this over-the-top 'The Mighty Boosh' level of ridiculousness. Listen to this album and you'll realise there is a great deal of depth to it. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys dropped acid and played with synthesizers all day.

Download.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/yourlittledragon

Official: http://www.little-dragon.se/

Wake/Lift

Rosetta - [2007]Wake/Lift

Rosetta are an ambient sludge/post-metal outfit from Philadelphia. The music on the 64 minute 'Wake/Lift' (an album name surely made to fuck with my anal-retentive folder naming convention) ranges from turbo-fuzzed guitar tones, massive, crushing riffs with heavy and distorted screams, to some quite peaceful, calm interludes, with satisfyingly gratuitous amounts ambient noise and delay. Inspiration seems to be drawn from bands like Nerosis and Isis, particularly in the softer sections, and very much so with the drumming.
Some really beautiful progression in the longer tracks on this album, particularly the closing song 'Monument', where the first _ minutes (number omitted for your own good) are a cock-tease, eluding to the brilliance that is about to unfold.

Listen to this album loud, preferably with some good quality headphones/speakers.

Download this sucker here.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rosetta
Official website: http://rosettaband.com/

Metridium Fields

Giant Squid - [2006] Metridium Fields

Giant Squid are an eerie sludge/doom/post rock band from San Fran, California.
The genre is actually really hard to define on 'Metridium Fields', but if you're a fan of any of the above, I recommend you check it out.
They utilise the almost haunting voice of (one of?) their female members and layer it with the sometimes nasally, sometimes soothing vocals of the frontman Aaron Gregory. Some really creepy keys are strewn through the record, along with some heavy riffage.
I'd describe the overall sound as sickly sweet, in the very best kind of way.
This album is actually an entire re-recording of their first release 'Metridium Field' (note: no 's' on the end) which is apparently quite a bit heavier.

Vocals aren't very loud in this vid, but fuck me, it's amazing:

Get this album.

You can also listen to ALL OF THEIR TRACKS FOR FREE on their Bandcamp.
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/giantsquid
Bandcamp: http://giantsquidlives.com/