I wonder is any album of Eyehategod underrated? I feel like anyone who's into sludge, is into Eyehategod? Biggest, most wellknown, most respected of the bands?!
KE/HIL "Lesson In Brotherly Hate" tape
Many times praised, and indeed, good live tape. When vocals hit in first time, I'm quite horrified if they remain THIS loud entire tape, but they start to blend in better. Songs such as "Dark Germany" become very good in live sound. Album had this cold electronic feel, and in this tape sound is noisier recording. Good advice that even for album, some bands would benefit to overdrive their sound a bit!
ALTAR OF FLIES / MIRRORS ARE BLACK split LP
Well, I was praising Mirrors Are Black for their other split 7" and they do offer great material here too. Droning, yet absent of all the boredom, full of tasty creative work! Altar Of Flies rotated few times, but I must say I do like "Female" LP more! This is good, but I don't think it's best of AOF what some people have told me? Certainly worth purchasing and multiple listens anyway!
AUNT MARY / MAN IS THE BASTARD split 10"
Its the same as split 7", and as much as I try to convince that I am not "collector". I don't need or want multiple formats of same releases - in general... there are few personally important releases, which I have 2..3..4 even 5 copies for reason or another. Darkthrone (nor), Burzum (nor), Goatlord (us), Confusion (col), Genocide Organ (ger), Operation Cleansweep (ger), Guns'n'Roses (us)... that's about it.. but wait a minute! Also AUNT MARY! For whatever stupid reason as different color paper in xeroxed cover, or just to secure good quality vinyl besides "usual listening copy" so I'll have good record to listen for rest of my life. So despite I have heard this release countless times since it was releases and own few versions of it, good addition to shelves. 45rpm 10", original artworks scanned. AM is Finnish noisecore chaos, maybe only one step behind the legendary full length 7". MITB is at their most vital west coast power violence phase, keeping tracks short and aggressive, but already shining that 100% unique style of composition and musical execution. Also caveman electronics sound more rotten than after this.
SHIFT / HAL HUTCHINSON 10"
Heavy! Metal junk clatter of HH and solid brutalist fuzz distorted tones and rhythms of Shift. Throaty processed vocals. In normal moments, it sounds basically what you'd expect if you combine Shift and HH. But I feel at the best, it is in "Their Fall Will Be Harder Than Ours" part, where talented modulation of distortions in oppressive and heavy rhythm loop makes me think that for long time someone could stand proudly next to GO's "klaus barbie". Too often rhythms became stale, when one loop goes on and one and one, without any input from "player". Here we have active modulation of distortions and frequency, what remains subtle and in restricted lines of dark and oppressive mood. Absolute hit song for loud blasting on proper stereos!
AARON DILLOWAY / JASON LESCALLEET LP
Another neat PAN records release. Very thick synth sounds and other electronics. I feel the A-side isn't going enough forward. When you flip the side, there is more happening than very basic synth sounds. I'm not such a big fan of most of synth sounds, and vast amount of playing time of this belongs to those heavier bass loaded tones, rather than fierce treble noise or more stable patterns where synth basically replaces rhythm section. It's still good LP, but I was expecting much more hand made feel.