### Sludge: Lava

#### 18/06/08 || Kampfar

I know shitty lots about metal, a fucking guru I am, but when it comes to Switzerland I know more facts about the country than I know of its (metal) scene. I’m of course familiar with Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Samael, the big names, and, not so of course, also some of the smaller, like Alastis and Enoid. But out of the 514 Swiss bands listed at The Metal Archives, 500+ has at time speaking never entered my ear channels. Sludge used to be one of them latter, but thanks to a recommendation from a fellow negative creep (thanks Raf) I decided to give them and “Lava” a go.

I was expecting sludge, and you would too, but the first impression sure belies close to every single letter in their moniker, “60 MM” a death-ish groove monster if there ever was one. I swear upon my cock that if you rock out to this song while in your 70’s, your body will be mangled, you ending up in a wheelchair. And “Idi na hui” follows in the same vein, a tad weaker perhaps, but still fucking deadly and with lots and lots of that fucking groove we fuckups tend to dig. From here on, however, the albums changes character, the title track paving way for a darker, heavier and more churning set of noise.

But be sure, whatever this band serves you, it will move air, “Lava” being, at the very least production-wise, a fucking powerhouse, holding tons of stomp and oomph, that with a modern edge. Fuck, wouldn’t even kick you in the face if you accused them here Alp monkey’s for sporting a very, very, very slight nu-metal edge. If one very is dropped, however, you will taste steel.

Tip of the day: Always wear protective footwear, awesome at breaking shins and faces.

This band got their shit together either they are pushing or dragging, but me sure would have preferred if they skipped one of the (poisonous) snails, say “Inquisition, and dished up with another of them up-tempo track’s instead. Hell, it would have helped if they just dropped the aforementioned song. Not a shitter, just kinda superfluous, as I think the band made their point with “Below (litanies of santaclaus)” already.

If you wonder how Odin does the vocals, I can inform you that he scream and sneer, rather than belch and bellow.

Fuck off, but before I do the same, I’d like to add that fans of sludge should very well give it a go, but I’d like to pass out a more general recommendation here. If you like it heavy and have a knack for the extreme, be sure to put Sludge on your “to check list”.

8 out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Mighty music
- Website: Sludge MySpace
- Band
- Odin: vocals
- Makro: guitar, bass
- Ulik: bass
- Pud: drums

- Tracklisting
- 01. 60 MM
- 02. Idi na hui
- 03. Lava
- 04. Carnivore
- 05. Below (litanies of Satan)
- 06. Monolith
- 07. Machine
- 08. Inquisition
- 09. The End