Is it doom? Is it black metal? Or perhaps a hybrid of the two, mixed with some sludgy, psychedelic weirdness? The latter statement is probably closer to the truth with the latest Relapse Records release from Inter Arma called Sky Burial. The Virginia collective (consisting of T.J. Childers on Drums, Steven Russell & Trey Dalton on Guitars, Mike Paparo on Vocals, and Joe Kerkes on Bass) portray here their take on sludgy, psychedelic, doomy, post rock induced US Black Metal, which fuses influences like Wolves in the Throne Room, Neurosis, and Baroness into a sound that's quite unique.
Honestly, there's so much variety here that Sky Burial keeps you on your toes every step of the way. The doom laden black metal of "The Survival Fires" leads into the lilting instrumental "The Long Road Home (Iron Gate)", which then segues into the dreamy organ led "The Long Road Home", which almost sounds like something off an old Pink Floyd album before Neurosis styled heavy guitars come into play, eventually giving way to wailing, frenzied black metal shrieking. "Destroyer" is a 10 minute excursion into apocalyptic black metal and violent sludge, while the brooding doom & sludge of "Westward" is like a wild meeting of early Mastodon and Neurosis. The 13 minute title track kind of combines all the elements that you hear throughout the album, an epic nightmare of a song that will chill you to the bone and rattle the foundation with the power of an earthquake with its thunderous riffs, agonizing vocals, and relentless drumming.
Sky Burial probably won't be for everyone, but for those extreme metal fans who are looking for something a little different with more than a hint of the avant-garde, definitely give this one a try.
Track Listing
1.
The Survival Fires 10:11
2.
The Long Road Home (Iron Gate) 03:40
3.
The Long Road Home 10:07
4.
Destroyer 10:13
5.
'sblood 06:21
6.
Westward 09:48
7.
Love Absolute 04:02
8.
Sky Burial 13:01
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