Monday, time for us to introduce "Record Of The Week"
The New Orleans sludge lords EYEHATEGOD is back after a long break of seven years. It has been a long, long wait for fans of the NOLA sludge metal, luckily with their sixth album, making a comeback of sorts, it's with great delight "A History Of Nomadic Behavior" given a good return and the result was worth the wait for the dusty, almost forgotten EYEHATEGOD.
EYEHATEGOD is know for been a soundtrack for the troubled masses, survivor’s music, you know, dirty and bad music for bad and dirty times. It really is something this time too. EYEHATEGOD follows the same blueprint since they founded the band in 1988.
"A History Of Nomadic Behavior" revels in all the usual EYEHATEGOD themes—desperation, depression, poverty, addiction—but, as Williams is quick to point out, the songs aren’t necessarily about anything. From the opening "Built Beneath The Lies", the lurching Sabbathian riffs are meted out with righteous, snarling fury shows immediately that that EYEHATEGOD hasn’t slowed or mellowed with time but with Mike Williams caustic anger, broken-limbed riffs by Jimmy Bower, Aaron Hill's filthy snappy drums, Gary Mader hard-hitting bass strings. The path of how things are going to be is set and this continues with chugging riffs in "The Outer Banks", a tune where you simply get run over. Followed by the bombastic "Fake What’s Yours" and the more abstract "Three Black Eyes". Squeaky, messy, and beech begins the punkish "Current Situation" where the frustration seeps through the heavy riffs. "High Risk Trigger" is a marvelous piece about "triggered as an addict". "The Trial Of Johnny Cancer" opens up with some spoken word, a half-paced piece with some lyrics like "I’d rather be a corpse than a coward". This followed by a small surprise in "Smoker’s Piece", a bluesy jazz number with shuffling drums, picked guitar and walking bass. "Circle Of Nerves" features spiraling, descending guitar licks, and abusive rhythm breaks. Some dentists squeaky guitar sound opens up the album closer "Every Thing, Every Day" with the lyrics "Kill your boss" over and over! Thirty-three years into a career of debauchery, abuse, and dirt, a global pandemic, and they are still broke, so it is absolutely incredible that EYEHATEGOD is here at all where many others have dissolved and withered away. EYEHATEGOD earns my respect for surviving and continue to playing and committing hard. They are
Sum: "A History Of Nomadic Behavior" is a welcome return.
Lead vocalist Mike IX Williams said of the album: "During this recording, I thought a lot about how stupid humanity has become and how America is now completely divided with these people who don't believe in science and blindly follow liars and nonsensical ideologies. Some of those feelings may have found their way into these songs, but it is mostly subliminal."
Today's tune "Circle Of Nerves" is taken from "A History Of Nomadic Behavior" which was released March 12, 2021.
Feels a bit sometimes like I have been stuck in a tray, where the tones will repeat itself. It's a bit like that it has been with my posts recently and it will probably be so a few more days, yes! I will break the pattern soon, but not quite yet, too much good stuff in the pipeline. Some posts, or rather fragments of an upcoming post lie and wait, including today's tune. It has been in the cave and potholing a little bit and when I read a blog entry from Steelgarden, I became eager to pick it up it today.
Down is an American sludge metal band that formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Phil Anselmo, guitarist Pepper Keenan, guitarist Kirk Windstein, bassist Pat Bruders and drummer Jimmy Bower. Since their formation, Down has gone on hiatus twice. To date, Down has released three studio albums, NOLA (1995), Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow (2002), and Down III: Over the Under (2007). Since 2008, the band has been working on new material, which will result in four separate EPs instead of an album; the first, entitled Down IV Part I – The Purple EP, was released on September 18, 2012. The band plans to release a series of EPs over the next few years.
Todays tune "Witchtripper" is taken from Down IV Part I – The Purple EP, which is the first EP. It is the first album featuring bassist Pat Bruders due to the departure of former bassist Rex Brown in 2011.
Listen to "Down- Witchtripper" on Spotify