Winnipeg Sludge Scene: Reviews of OGIMAA, SOLHOUNDS, SPINE OF EARTH, & WITCHTRIP

Written by: Volt Thrower

​Winnipeg, Manitoba: a misunderstood and often unknown entity on the global stage. Easy to overlook, easy to make the butt of a joke--but those who have spent time here know there is a veritable treasure trove of historical or natural beauty to stumble upon. There is of course a dark history (and present) of racial injustice and a growing class divide, but this observation isn’t meant to politicize the intro--just a quick backdrop for sources of inspiration that manifest themselves in a sometimes devastatingly beautiful art scene. One such iteration of that specific art is the burgeoning sludge metal scene, an umbrella I'm willing to stretch a bit just to shine a deserving light on some local artists who know how to bring the heavy.

Now: on to some music, shall we?

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OGIMAA
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Ogimaa brings cavernous doom in the vein of Conan or Volume One era Sleep. One of the quickest rising bands in Winnipeg, they’ve opened for the who's who of the heavy underground, from Dopethrone to Church of Misery, and had a gig with King Buffalo canceled due to Covid by just a couple weeks.

Their debut EP Desolation is as heavy and captivating as any release in the genre the last few years. Chris Driscoll, the mad man behind the kit and the spine tingling howls, is a sight to see in action, a glimpse into an alternate reality if Matt Pike were a drummer. Buoyed by the roiling and suffocating atmosphere from bassist Scott Clark and guitarist Brandon Noga, the three-piece combine to cave-in the ceiling of any establishment willing to host their brand of slow death destruction. They have a full length in the works, with a live version of the (coming at some point) single "Death of the High Priest" on YouTube, but of course everything is up in the air right now for recording. Winnipeg is in a relatively decent situation Covid-wise, so hopefully they’re able to get back in the studio at some point in the near future.

​Find Ogimaa on bandcamp here!

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SOLHOUNDS
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Solhounds are a unique band for me. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live a few times, and they're always great. But seeing them at a ‘Live @ the Roslyn’ show back in early 2017 really awoke a hunger inside for the underground/DIY scene. 

‘Live @ the Roslyn’ has become a Winnipeg institution in the following years. It's un by a terrific group of people known as The Village Idiots, who have kickstarted a groundswell of support for the local music scene. I'm still stunned to this day how this show was allowed to happen. Approximately 25 people (Including the band) crammed into a 2nd floor apartment living room of an heritage status building on a cozy Wednesday night. Amps turned to 11, Elise and the boys proceeded to rip all of Osborne Village a new one with their brand of grungy stoner rock. A wicked set including incel-crushing anthem "I Taught Him (Be A Man)" and throatripping crowd pleaser "Guts." They’ve got some new tunes out as of May 27th, with some fuzzification from Niklas “Dango” Kallgren of Truckfighters and Fuzzorama records. Check it out!

Find Solhounds on bandcamp here!

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SPINE OF EARTH
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Don't make the same mistake as I did, and assume from the "Children of the Grave" style intro to lead track "Living in Hell" that this is just a simple Sabbath worship band. Obviously the influence is there, but they come roaring out of that groove with a fuzz charged aggression and establish their own brand of sludgy swamp blues. Whiskey soaked howls on top of a thicc, heavy low end give their proper debut EP Metal to the Pedal some real ass. Teetering back and forth between sludge rock and psychedelia on "Subconscious Surprise’ and "Beaudy" is a nice aesthetic. When combined with the aggression of the opener as well as the title track, make the 24 minute run time feel like a bad acid trip in absolutely the best way, perfectly summed up by the trippy artwork. A bluesy sludger in their cover of "Four Spines" caps off a stellar debut. Their new single and album is forthcoming this summer. 

Find Spine of Earth ​on bandcamp here!

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WITCHTRIP

The "phoenix rising from the ashes" cliche has been played to death by now, but if the shoe fits, set it on fire. Witchtrip is, like any good band from Winnipeg, an amalgamation of previous bandmates and experiences. They came out of the gates strong with the 2-song EP Cosmic Cauldron in March 2018 [incidentally, one of the first reviews the Sleeping Village ever wrote! - Ed.] A good death doom release with some heavy The Mound Builders sludge sound...but Witchtrip saw their jam space warehouse go up in flames this past July, along with all their gear, merch, and other personal possessions. Thanks to some heroic efforts, namely on the part of recorder/producer Jordan Voth, they managed to record another 2-song EP to raise funds, A Burnt Offering. Just give a listen to "The Holy Crow" and tell me these guys aren't worth a couple bucks to see what they can cook up in the future. One of the catchiest death metal grooves of 2020. Only four songs into their journey as a band, they've already covered a significant range of sounds, incorporating synths and hardcore influences. Hopefully the band can get back on their feet and proper rip us to shreds with a full length. 

Find Witchtrip ​on bandcamp here!

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There are a whole slew of other bands that i wanted to feature here, but quickly came up on that 1000 word mark so I won't hold you any longer. I appreciate anyone who took the time to read this, and learn a little bit about what makes my quiet little city special. Quick shoutouts to Cory Thomas of NinjaCat Productions, as well as Throne Torcher and Vagina Witchcraft, who have also been in constant rotation, and if there is any interest, I'll include them in a part two of the Winnipeg sludge scene!

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