Album: Crown Of Horns
Label: Independent/Sludgelord Records
Release date: 6 April 2018
Country: USA
Format reviewed: FLAC (digital)
Colossal dose of sludge, served raw, and in an obsessive fashion! Incendiary like a fiery surge of molten lava! That is the music by the power trio KOLOSSOR, on their full-length debut album, Crown Of Horns. Hailing from the southern swamps of New Jersey, the band takes the listener thru an intense series of hard punches drawn via the ten (10) tracks on the album. Formed in 2016, KOLOSSOR released a three (3) songs EP, the following year, grading the path towards Crown Of Horns.
The subgenre’s current influx of new bands and releases makes it difficult for even the greatest of acts to be able to gain the deserved recognition, and to build a fan base. With that said, KOLOSSOR immediately grabbed my attention with their firm execution of unfiltered, in-your-face material. No lack of inspiration is to be found in Greg Frisenda’s diverse guitar riffing, maintaining tone and texture throughout the entire album, streamed along with a howling and desperately dry vocal delivery. Who needs a second guitarist when Jay Barringer is along for the ride, anchoring the production with his vividly incisive bass lines and a sound to match! Nothing will come to complete fruition without Jerry Arsenault’s impeccable drumming and perfectly accented percussion bits, tribal at times! Jerry is also responsible for engineering, mixing and mastering this unapologetically sounding, clean, no-frills production. The trio’s aggressive vibe won’t stray away much outside the heavy sludge, with the exception of some rightfully placed stoner/doom inspired nuances, where no sign of dullness is present - the band’s collective musical experience is clearly palpable. The hardcore is evident throughout the entire length of the album. There is a slight amount of repetition, but nothing that would impact the listener’s satisfaction. Lyrically, the songs touch on a variety of subjects: humanity, occult, mythology, etc., reviling an array of inspirational sources.
In conclusion, KOLOSSOR’s Crown Of Horns won’t change the face of sludge metal, but it will fully satisfy any fan of the genre with it’s aggressive and assertive, well-executed new album! Recommended. 7.5/10 UHF
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