Listen to: WHAMMER

In an effort to look beyond the digital promo pile, I recently put out a call on social media for any bands or labels that were interested in coverage to get in touch.  I mostly heard crickets, but I was also lucky enough to hear from Whammer, a new “blackened crust grind” band from Colorado, who sound lean, mean and pissed the fuck off on the demo tracks they graciously sent me to check out.

Green Druid – Ashen Blood (Earache, 2018)

It seems that not enough people are talking about Green Druid, but they damn well oughta be, because the quartet has released what should rightfully be considered as one of the stickiest of the icky doom metal releases of 2018 in the form of Ashen Blood, out now on Earache Records.

Expurgate – Dementia Tremens (Comatose Music, 2013)

Expurgate have been brutalizing the planet since 2010, but are just now getting around to releasing Dementia Tremens, their first full length via Comatose Music. What we have here is a textbook example of slamming death metal, replete with vocals that sound like a pig being sodomized with a sewer pipe, a reliance on crushing, molasses-like tempos and song titles like “Fermented Concubine Ingurgitation” and (my personal favorite) “40 oz. Facefuck.” Sick shit to be sure, but well-crafted sick shit.