Sludge Metal – Page 2 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Scare – In The End, Was it Worth it?

Is it just me, or does that cover art look like it came straight out of The Seventh Seal? You know I’m a citizen of the world, but you can always hit me in the home department and gain an advantage. Scare is a band that, from the get-go, lets us know it cares little about our petty opinions. That’s the real Punk/Hardcore spirit running through In The End, Was It Worth It? Also, probably the title of your last breakup. Anyway, you’re here to find out if this scary-looking album is worth your precious toilet break time.

Lost in the Riffstorm 2024: Part 1

It’s time for some small redemption. There are a few heavy hitters we missed when they were just released. Whether it was because we didn’t get the promo or simply didn’t find the time amidst the avalanche of Metal we receive every second (yes, per second!), these albums deserve recognition—especially if they don’t make it to any of our end-of-the-year lists. Consider this an apology for past and future mistakes. Convenient, right? Anyway, some of these albums you’ve probably listened to death, while others might not have even appeared on your radar. Let’s get to it!

Pillar of Light – Caldera

Pegah

“Man is wolf to man. Who in the face of all his experience of life and of history, will have the courage to dispute this assertion?“

– Sigmund Freud

Pillar of Light’s debut album, Caldera, weaves a rich tapestry of themes through its Post-Metal and Sludge Doom Metal lens. The album’s title and cover imagery suggest a potent exploration of destruction and renewal, evoking transformation both in the world and within the human spirit. The interplay between light and darkness—embodied by the stark, illuminated gate set against a shadowy background—serves as a metaphor for hope versus despair, life versus death, and the dualities that shape our existence.

QAALM – Grave Impressions Of An Unbroken Arc

SonikGoat

Extreme Metal, in all its guises, seems to oscillate between two states: on one hand, the worship of the comfortingly familiar—usually through the repetitive perfection of rigid forms; on the other, the “outer limits” of Metal serve as a home to a ceaseless churning of these forms. 2024 has seen several excellent releases that together confirm that for every clutch of bands setting out to achieve perfection in older styles, there are those striving to take Metal in new, sometimes startling directions. Thus, we have Blood Incantation fusing ripping Death with the rich analog sounds of seventies Prog Rock and synth; Ingurgitating Oblivion pushing the envelope of avant-garde composition and technicality; or Iotunn fearlessly combining Prog innovation with Heavy Metal passion.

Immortal Bird – Sin Querencia

Stargazer Scholar

Immortal Bird has developed an especially vicious brand of Death Metal. Seasoned with Black, Sludge, and Crust undertones, its music is as intricate as it is pummeling. That being said, listeners were left to conjecture about the next step in the band’s evolution, as its previous full-length had already reached the respectable age of five. Personally, I was favoring a more progressive, sprawling approach, being an ardent appreciator of the lengthier tracks from the prior releases. You can imagine my surprise, then, when I received the promo for the long-awaited Sin Querencia and discovered that, contrary to my expectations and hopes, Immortal Bird opted for concision.

Bile Caster – Writhing Between Birth and Death

Pegah

“There are certain sores in life that, like a canker, gnaw at the soul in solitude and diminish it. Since generally it is the custom to attribute these incredible sufferings to the realm of rare and singular accidents and happenings, it is not possible to speak about them to others“.
― Sadegh Hedayat, The Blind Owl

Bragging Rights – Small Gods

Maybe we’ll do this more often—giving acts from the deep underground a full platform, as long as they send stuff in advance. Bragging Rights (the name cracks me up) is a project that, by looking at its cover art, you’d think was satirical. I wasn’t quite sure if this meant the album was going to be deeply serious or just troll me harder than this. Either way, I came in with a better disposition than usual because I was on vacation and felt like humanity deserved a chance again (I can’t wait for them to let me down…). Alright, let’s see what Small Gods puts on the table.

Grid – The World Before Us

You’ve heard about space Black Metal, you’ve heard about space Death Metal, even about cosmic Thrash. I guess it was about time we started hearing something about space Post-Metal. Yes, it finally happened: space has become a theme for deconstruction. Grid is volunteering to offer us an epic journey into our own interstellar origins, which already sounds refreshing, but can The World Before Us stand out in this vast universe filled with indifference? That’s what we’re here to find out!

Solemn Ceremony – Chapter III

It’s Doom time! I know it might seem like we at MER have an anti-Doom agenda. Nothing could be further from the truth! However, this hasn’t been exactly the most Doom-filled year. That doesn’t mean we can’t run into interesting work. Look at what Solemn Ceremony brings to the table: rough and crusty music that promises to transport you to a much more relaxed world, away from the miseries of your anxious existence. Does it succeed, or can nothing save you from yourself? Slowly, we’ll find out.

Orange Goblin – Science, Not Fiction

Sometimes at MER, we want to show that we can do more than just review the most brutal and godless albums the internet can throw at us. We also enjoy some good Sludge or Stoner Rock. Yes, it’s even more niche and bad for our pathetic money ambitions, but for now, we have principles. Orange Goblin is what happens when you combine Mastodon, Sleep, and Electric Wizard. You’re going to feel the spices going up your bloodstream and down your toilet seat. So, where to put Science, Not Fiction in a long and illustrious career? Let’s see!