Release
date: April 14th 2017. Label: Sunmask Records. Format: DD/Cassette Tape (June 2017)
Brumation
– Tracklisting
1.An Awkward Moan
05:26
2.Blood Staff 05:46
3.Tarred and
Feathered 04:08
4.Garrulous 04:11
5.False Negative
03:09
6.The Skinning 03:31
7.Maple Ape 06:13
Members:
Chad Alsop-Guitar/Vocals
Andre Cornejo-Guitar/Vocals
Ryley Devine-Drums
Alana Mercer-Bass/Vocals
Review
Canadian Hardcore
Sludge Bruisers – Dead Ranch – return with their 2nd
full length album – Brumation. A rousing slab of heavy
Sludge/Stoner Metal driven numbers inspired by High On Fire and early
era Mastodon. You want a heavy assault on the senses with twin
guitars blasting fast-paced Sludge/Stoner riffs. Well Dead Ranch are
the band for you.
I'm a huge fan of their
debut album – Antler Royal – released way back in 2013. It's good
to see their sound remains the same as that album contained a winning
combination of Punk and Hardcore vibes merged with the heavy sludge
driven sounds.
Opening track – An
Awkward Moon – shows the band have a keen talent for dramatic
progressive flair with elements of Progressive Rock/Metal being the
main focus of their music. Touches of Remission-era Mastodon can be
seen but with the band opting for a more modern stoner based sound.
The vocals from Chad or Andre (sorry I don't know who is the primary
vocalist here) have a certain hardcore punk based edge. It's quite
melodic in parts with Dead Ranch showing they know how to play a mean
pissed off riff.
Second track – Blood
Staff – is reminiscent of the Sludge Metal sounds of the past
decade or so but don't let that put you off as Dead Ranch inject a
few tricks of their own to the mix. The vocals once again remind me
of early-era Mastodon but with the more ferocious riffs that High On
Fire are known for. Dead Ranch start creating their own sound when
they start playing a thrashier and punk style of sound. The guitar
solos are very precise with twinges of Psychedelic Rock finally
making an appearance.
Third track – Tarred
And Feathered – sees Dead Ranch opt for a more Hardcore Punk style
delivery. The stoner grooves can be heard at different parts of the
song as the band add superb psychedelic instrumental sounds into the
mix. The most addictive part of this song is when the band play some
epic guitar solos and the intense drumming from Ryley make this one
of the standout tracks on the album.
Fourth track –
Garrulous – has a stop-start approach with the riffs. As the band
play short and brutal riffs before slowing things down and then
exploding into a more faster style of pissed off Sludge Metal. The
vocals veer into almost Death Metal style growls and whilst it's good
to see the band being more adventurous with the vocals. I prefer the
cleaner style vocals heard earlier on the album. Apart from that
minor complaint this is another superb track on the album.
The final 3 tracks on
the album follow the same path as earlier songs with the vocals
impressing yet again. The music is more daring here especially on the
5th track – False Negative.
Brumation is a
powder-keg of emotions with Dead Ranch playing a pissed off style of
Thrash, Sludge, Stoner and Hardcore Punk all colliding for one manic
testosterone fuelled ride of extreme riffage.
Words
by Steve Howe
