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In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a top-notch hip-hop album.  Written by: The Administrator Today, we slumbering scribes reject the "metal review site" tag by publishing a mini-review for a rap album. You can't stop us. One of my favorite hip hop albums of the year thusfar, Champagne For Breakfast positions the magnetic Meyhem Lauren as a paragon of New York rap. Equally luxurious and menacing, Lauren's flow is sublimely confident. It feels like he's been strutting across beats like these for decades. Boisterous aggression isn't necessary, and as a result the self-assured nature of his raps feel relaxed and refined. He's working hard but everything appears casually effortless. His delivery is calculatingly laissez-faire, yet never lacks punch or gravitas. That's a perfect combo, as far as I'm concerned. Madlib and DJ Muggs handling production in dual fashion is a real treat as well. The entire album is delightfully cohesive without eventually feeling stale or overplayed, which frankly feel decently rare in the world of Griselda-adjacent psychedelic boom-bap. Champagne for Breakfast is a smooth album that feels both understated and simultaneously larger than life. Lauren operates at a very high level, and despite absolutely bodying a braggadocious air, his showmanship and persona is never alienating. While there's not a bad track herein, if you're looking to sample, "Fresh Out The Water," "Big Money," "Dom VS Cris," "One of Them Ones," and "Szechuan Capital"--the latter complete with an excellent Action Bronson feature--are all fantastic places to start. In sum: highly recommended! Meyhem Lauren x Madlib x DJ Muggs - Champagne For Breakfast was released April 7th, 2023 via Soul Assassins
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In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a delightfully slimy death metal EP.
Written by: The Administrator
The roster of underground death metal bands that deserve more attention is nigh-infinite, and while underappreciation is inevitable, everyone needs to stop sleeping on Cork's own Bodydrinkers. In an attempt to remedy this scenario, we slumbering scribes try our hand at rousing the masses. Wake up! Plug this into your earholes! A mere three tracks, Swamp Hammer is nonetheless a beast. The titular track kicks things off with glorious belligerence, a churning muscular barrage accompanied by an engaging range of vocal delivery. The riffage roils with pythonian strength, and while delivering an effective bludgeoning, the track does not overstay its welcome. My personal favorite track, the follow-up "Byzantine Blinding," opts for a slower yet no less pugilistic angle. The vocals here are truly monstrous, and play inordinately well off the massive surge of instrumentation. Closer "Bio Terroristic Occult Sermon" threads the needle between the two extremes, delivering a slightly more grindy and unhinged take on Bodydrinkers' apparent trademark aggression. The variety presented herein is quite enjoyable, and the short runtime simply isn't enough. I crave more. Given the EP title and slimy descriptor, I was admittedly expecting a little more sludgy lumbering and dripping riffage, but as a fan of the mire, that's on me. What we get instead is top-notch stuff, no bones about it. Swamp Hammer is delightfully aggressive and takes no prisoners in the sonic bombardment department. I highly recommend checking this one out! Listen here and snag a tape from (the illustrative) Fiadh Productionshere. Bodydrinkers - Swamp Hammer was released January 20th, 2023 (Digital) and June 2nd, 2023 (Cassette) via Fiadh Productions In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a rockin' and rollin' track.  Written by: The Administrator Back in the throes of lockdown, we slumbering scribes ran an interview with Holy Death Trio, a (then) new act with only several singles to their name. A few years later, I come to the realization that in the slew of new music I completely missed the promo cycle of their debut LP, 2021's appropriately monikered Introducing..., which featured those early singles, and, in sum, turned out pretty damn well. In any case, I was excited to see a new track from the Holy Death Trio camp hit the ol' inbox, as a little vintage rock 'n' roll can go a long way in the heat of the summer. "Death Rider" is a short lil' tune but it does not disappoint. Riding in with the dusty air of a tune destined to land on a well-used cassette, "Death Rider" moves at foot-tapping trot. It feels delightfully vintage--the channels are just wonky enough, and the vocals carry a raw and rough undertone. There's little complexity in the composition, but the guitar truly shines, with an extensive and borderline jubilant solo carrying the majority of the back half. Perhaps most importantly, the track doesn't feel overworked nor overbaked. Sitting at a tight 2:28 runtime, there's no fat to be trimmed. It's a wonderfully unpolished affair, and feels nostalgic without falling too far down the emulation road. Most importantly, it's a damn fun listen. I'm excited to see Holy Death Trio continue down this road. If you're a fall of the old school rock 'n' roll sound and ethos, this one is definitely worth a listen. Check it out below! Holy Death Trio - "Death Rider" was released August 8th, 2023. 
While I feel like a significant portion of death metal misses the mark when it comes to an elevator pitch, Blight House hit the nail on the head with their straightforward "gross death metal" tag. This stuff is, indeed, very gross. Throwing on their latest offering, the appropriately entitled Blight The Way, is like unto watching a series of straight-to-vhs horror movies whilst lounging uncomfortably in a medical waste dumpster. Y'know, the good times and healthy activities we all dream of.
Blight House knows how to effectively apply campy aesthetics in pursuit of a rousingly good time. As such, a necessary degree of self-aware good humor pervades in the lyrics and numerous chopped samples, as well as the song titles themselves. Punny examples such as "Grassquatch" and "Dismembers Only" aside, "Florida Man Hails Satan" is an absolute banger. I hasten to add that humor isn't used as a crutch here so much as an essential component of a greater picture. Without grunting and grinding music that goes, as they say, hard as absolute fuck, this project would fall apart pretty damn quick. But fear not: Blight House deliver the goods in the engaging music department. The chugs, while far from complex, chug with an engaging foot-stomping vigor, and, most notably, the omnipresent bass bounces throughout at a loose lope. The bass indeed dominates--for a prime example, look to the sasquatchian "Grassquatch" as it moves with earthshaking heft. The vocals are quite flexible, running the gamut between gross-out sewer gurgles and mucus-coated raspy roars. |
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