Seeds of Sludge

Lord Dying is a relatively new group originating from Portland, Oregon. Despite only having a demo and EP to their name, the group has signed to Relapse Records and gained the attention and praise of thousands of people. The fresh and enjoyable sounds found on their debut album makes it obvious as to why. With the release of Summon the Faithless, the band has begun with a strong and furious brand of doom metal that’s impossible to tame.

One of the best qualities about this release is that it refuses to be background music. In almost every aspect, its interesting qualities are ones that demand attention. It’s obvious even when looking at the album cover which is an eye grabbing piece of art that is likely to give nostalgic memories of the colorful metal covers of the ’80s. The music is downright abrasive, sinister, and astonishing. As far as the guitar work, its most interesting quality is that it is an uncanny fusion of doom metal and thrash metal. Here, the nimble and the crafty work together to creative something special. The result ends up being mid-tempo riffs with a down-tuned sludge metal quality that must be heard to be believed. A fantastic example lies in the track “Greed Is Your Horse,” which contains fast-picked single notes with a notable sludge-y song structure. Guitar solos are also found occasionally, and they demonstrate a technically challenging structure with a melodious sound.

There are plenty of other elements are also well done. The vocals, for one, are well executed and give the tracks an angry quality to them. Also, the drums are passionately played with notable variation between cymbals and double bass work. And finally, the bass guitar, while somewhat buried in the mix, provides a crust punk edge and a fair amount of distortion.

Overall, this album is nothing short of impressive, and is an accomplished piece of work. Not very many bands are able to obtain such a strong beginning to their discography, and for that, Lord Dying deserves to be respected.  Summon The Faithless is sure to become a fan favorite for many years to come.