FRESH MEAT FRIDAY - January 28th, 2022, Feat. Rotborn, SARTORI, Mt. Echo, and Depleted Uranium

On (regrettably infrequent) Fridays, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance. Today is the day we must offload all this week's new and noteworthy music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! 

​On the docket for today, January 28th, 2022:
Rotborn, SARTORI, Mt. Echo, and Depleted Uranium

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Rotborn - Genocidal Resolution
(Redefining Darkness)

This is unrelenting death metal with a distinct penchant for utterly bulldozing the listener, and two tracks is all ye need. Rotborn play fast and hard, confidently delivering the kind of frantic-yet-crushing riffage that can only bring bloodshed and destruction to mind. I'm a particular fan of the second track herein, the enormously belligerent "RULES OF MANIPULATION." Here, the guitar and drums work in tandem to present a furious forward march, presenting no reasonable option for retreat. It's onward unto the breach with this one, and, despite the fact that this is their first release as a collective unit, Rotborn are playing with an admirable cohesion. Good death metal is always worth a listen, and this is most certainly good death metal--another feather in Redefining Darkness Record's increasingly feathered cap.
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​Find it on bandcamp here!

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SARTORI - Dragon's Fire
(Rockshot Records)

Here's a sad reality: we don't review nearly enough traditional heavy metal 'round these parts. That's frankly a damn shame, because when one overlooks the lighter fare in favor of brutality, one inevitably overlooks gems such as this. Dealing in fairly neo-classical fare, Sartori and Co. deliver a debut record that will certainly appeal to fans of the decidedly epic approach. Despite feeling a tad untamed at times, the soaring vocals and flashy axemanship are the stars of the show, and while in lesser hands the glimmering aesthetic would have the potential to wear thin, the group proficiently illustrates how truly enjoyable a good ol' heavy metal album can be. 

​Dragon's Fire is straightforward and fun as hell. You've encountered the formula before. The nostalgia is strong with this one. 'Nuff said.

Find it on youtube here!

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Mt. Echo - Electric Empire
​(Independent)

Every release day, there are inevitably albums that will quickly fall by the wayside, and there are inevitably albums that burrow inside, demanding attention across the weeks and months that span ahead. Electric Empire by instrumental post-rock/metal group Mt. Echo most certainly fits in the latter category. This group utilizes the lack of vocals to great effect, bolstering their songwriting with a tastefully expansive array of sights and sounds. It's a dense yet graceful album, as immersive as they come. At times noisy and dissonant, at times pulsating and mighty, and at times serene and melodic, Mt. Echo balance seemingly disparate elements with a delightful ease. It's a lengthy affair, but certainly worth the trip.

​This is a fascinating and fantastic album. I look forward to spending many more hours with what Mt. Echo hath wrought. Color me impressed.

Find it on bandcamp here!

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Depleted Uranium - Origins
​(Independent)

​One glance at this album cover, and you know what the fuck it is. I love when a project is blatantly overt in its outward presentation, and in this regard, Depleted Uranium deliver. 

Packaging aside, here's what lurks within: frantic riffage, pummeling percussion,  loose 
instrumentation under the paradoxical guise of math-y technicality,  and what undoubtedly ranks among the most deliberately abrasive mixes you've ever heard. Like all decent grindcore and/or powerviolence, Depleted Uranium deal in abject chaos, but, unlike a lot of their brethren, this crew conducts themselves in an irresistibly charming manner, dropping a variety of intriguing elements and moments across the brief breadth. Origins is very fun, if quite unpolished. I've listened to this several times today, and if you crave a potent dose of chaos, I can only recommend that you do the same.

​Find it on bandcamp here!

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