Brainoil - Death of This Dry Season (2011)

Full Length, Life Is Abuse / 20 Buck Spin
August 2nd, 2011

Genre: Sludge
Region: USA

One I missed last year. Shame on me.

Yes I am late to the party when it comes to these legends of sludge. They had an enormous gap between their self-titled album and Death of This Dry Season but like true professionals that has not diminished the quality of the music one iota once they returned. What you get here is pure, unadulterated sludge metal: no bullshit and no fancy experimentation. Death of This Dry Season is a short but slamming venture into crusty, raw and harsh sludge with a southern-stoner tinge all the way through.

The bass and guitar riffs alternate between heavy and chunky, fuzzed out and crushing sections that are so damn catchy, using some hammer-ons and bends on a few tracks to great effect. These moments stick with you and will break windows when cranking the volume no problem. Then they slide towards fast-paced, aggressive hardcore blasts while remaining entirely rusted and rough, coupled with a ugly hoarse vocal effort belting out tales of ruin and decay. This is totally appropriate for the sound they conjure, as is the thick production which keeps the murky swells feeling warm and cozy. Drum duties are carried out flawlessly, bouncing and crashing while fitting both the quick licks and the sluggish, bendy chords without dominating them.

You couldn't ask for more from Brainoil here.Their sound and style remain untouched by the waves of newer acts that experiment with the traditional sludge and doom sound, making their material work effortlessly and remain fresh without bending to recent trends. As mentioned it's a quick record hitting just under 25 minutes but it's all top notch, and I would much prefer a solid and heavy short release then a long and tedious one; especially if it's in the more orthodox vein of the genre.

I would certainly recommend grabbing this record, it's worth your time and cash. Take a listen over here. I snatched it up not too long ago. You can buy it on vinyl over at 20 Buck Spin or from their very own merch store.




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