This is sludge with a different objective; sludge that is not content with simply battering the listener into submission, or drowning them in tar riffs. The myriad influences, songwriting depth and ear for battered melody speaks to something more. That’s not to say that lava-thick riffs are not present, and that the threat of aural battery is not delivered upon – what makes this record special and worth your investment is the restraint displayed. – By Andy Price

Overall, this is a great effort by The Moth: full of heavy riffs, grooves and down-right catchy songwriting. – By Richard Owens

With ‘Qliphoth’, Cloud Rat manage to bring a downright impressive and enviable amount of collective influences to the table. This is the sound and blueprint of a band who are becoming champions of the genre. – By Scott Bowden

The future looks bright for Hope Drone on the basis of this release and the post-black metal world is a better place for having them. – By Martyn Coppack

Motherfucker are a serious force to be reckoned with. Hopefully they won’t be held back in any way cause from the name to the album these ladies rock. – By Gary Jackson

It’s good to hear how a band’s sound widens to incorporate new ideas and Giza have obviously allowed themselves the freedom especially with the guest musicians involved. Worth a listen. – By Geoff Topley

‘Filth’ is as heavy as they come. Monstrous riffs combine with angry hardcore and intimate, bloody lyrics. The band that started as a one-man emotional outlet is growing into a fearsome beast. – By Jeremiah Nelson

This is a hefty, hefty dose of Northern sludge with both bands delivering the goods. – By Euan McKenzie

Man, this record is gripping. Not in any way a toe-tappy happy record, but it is sure riveting. – By Matt Butler

Sludge, down-tuned brutality and riff worship is the order of the day; and Dead Existence do this very well. – By Andy Price

Ross Mckendrick asked singer Orion from Washington DC/Baltimore’s ILSA some questions about horror movies, cover songs and the new album ‘The Felon’s Claw’.

UK based sludge/doom band William English are about to release their album ‘Basic Human Error’. Listen to an exclusive stream of the album here.

When ‘Goliathan’ is on, it’s on. The songs hit all the right spots. Weedeater isn’t breaking new ground here, but they are doing what they do and having fun every step of the way. – By Jeremiah Nelson

My revelation during ‘Watcher’ wasn’t quite that dramatic, but it shed light on the myriad details that set Coffinfish apart from their peers, and revealed that their best moments are at once beautiful and terrible enough to have been torn from pages of the Necronomicon itself. – By Jamie Jones

Mark Martins spoke to Matt Weed from Rosetta about the recording process and the new album ‘Quintessential Ephemera’, their approach to releasing albums on Bandcamp, the past and the future.

The album is nine songs of no holds barred rock and fucking roll. This is the sound of cruise control hitting a notch higher and rattling down that coyote highway once again. Play loud, very loud. – By Martyn Coppack

‘Loathe’ is a mercilessly nasty record, which sees Nightslug dispense with doom in favour of a far more vicious approach. One of the vilest, angriest records to come out this year. – By Ross Mckendrick

With High on Fire latest album’s being frankly disappointing, Galvano has released the most exiting album in the sludge genre this year so far. – By Victor Vicart

The combination of influences mixed with the band’s take on the noise rock sound creates an almost new beast. – By Scott Bowden

If you’re into a casual listen of music with bleak soundscapes and textured melodies that move between minor chord transitions, this might be your thing. This is mood music. Plain and simple. – By Al Necro

Listen to the exclusive première of ‘Lust. Love. Loss.’, from the début album with the same title by Denver, Colorado based stoner metallers Abrams.