This Seattle post-sludge/black-metal outfit seemingly sees its shadow every three years, releasing albums in ’07, 2010, 2013 and now this, their fourth full-length, in 2016. I suppose epic tracks of this length take some time to germinate—the four songs on here span just under 46 minutes, with the shortest a shade under nine.
“Pyramidal Existinctualism” (try saying that five times fast!) opens the album with swirling guitar riffs and droning chanted vocals, taking on a mid-paced backbeat with breakdowns aplenty. This kinda reminds me of Enslaved, though it also takes on a bit more of a High on Fire meets post-metal approach at times.
“Labrea Borealis” starts off slowly and ominously, with a ringing guitar riff and barked hardcore vocals, certainly reminiscent of Neurosis. Throughout the course of its 14 minutes, it takes on elements of blackened Midwest sludge, a few more NeurIsis vibes, a few traces of death metal, and even a couple brief droney bits.
“Kosmoceratops” is more straightforward blackened hardcore off the bat, a solid mid-paced stomp that eventually brings us some cosmic sludge breakdowns, complete with female wah-voices in the background. “Aqualibrium” offers up another slice of blackened sludge, with plenty of blastbeats off the bat. We also get some of that slower, atmospheric stuff with deep vocals that sound like a Viking-metal Ian Curtis, especially on the drawn-out notes, before the band picks up the pace again beneath a few falsetto wails.
If you like your black, sludge, Viking and post-metal served up all at once, and are into outfits like Indian, Inter Arma and Numenorean, then Lesbian‘s latest is definitely worth a listen.
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