### Eyehategod: Eyehategod

#### 25/06/14 || Dinu

Eyehategod were the inventors of sludge metal. If you would like to disagree with me, you can go ahead but for what its worth, these guys really know how to grind out the rage. They have very little studio output ever since they formed. Their last album came out in 2010 and the new album is a hark back to the old days. The album marks the final appearance of Joey La Caze, their original drummer and his Dale Croveresque pounding will be missed.

“Agitation! Propaganda!” is the first song on this album and its hardcore. Punk riffs that melt into southern grooves. “Trying to crack a hard dollar” is even better. The stoner grooves and doomy vocals remind one of the dazzling array of riffs these imps have up their sleeves. “Quitter’s Offensive” is the least catchy track although the traditional rock ballad structure makes it quite accessible to a non-sludge audience.

“Parish motel sickness” and “Quitter’s offensive” are good old sludge. These two tracks don’t really have anything new to offer and “Worthless Rescue” and “Framed to the Wall” have a few standout moments but overall the riffs get repetitive and unoriginal on these four tracks

“Robitussin and Rejection” and “Medicine Noose”, are both have a register full of shifting moods, and percussion and Williams’ always-pissed vocals. These two are stand out tracks compared to the rest of the songs on the new album. EyehateGod might not be at the peak of their powers on this album but they do have their moments.

I wish they had put out more studio output seeing how good they are. This is one of those bands that I always wanted to catch live. Hell, I even binge-watched a whole TV show just to get to the point where they appear on screen. (The show was David Simon’s Treme, just in case you are interested). EyehateGod are a really tight band and their production is mostly top notch. I love their lyrics and the nihilist attitudes they carry on their sleeves.

I would not go so far as to say its better than “Dopesick” or “Take as needed” but this is a very good album in its own right and its unfair to compare it to genre warping classics. The album has a lot of great moments and the overall composition is well balanced. The drumming is thunderous and the riffs pack a punch. Its easily on my top 10 list for AOTY 2014 but I am a biased fan. Do give it a listen though.

8,5:

- Information
- Released: 2014
- Label: Century Media Records
- Website: www.eyehategod.ee
- Band
- Mike Williams: vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Jimmy Bower : guitars
- Brian Patton: guitars
- Gary Mader: bass
- Joey La Caze : drums
- Aaron Hill: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Agitation! Propaganda!
- 02. Trying to Crack the Hard Dollar
- 03. Parish Motel Sickness
- 04. Quitter’s Offensive
- 05. Nobody Told Me
- 06. Worthless Rescue
- 07. Framed to the Wall
- 08. Robitussin and Rejection
- 09. Flags and Cities Bound
- 10. Medicine Noose
- 11. The Age of bootcamp