Sludge. Never before has a musical style been so accurately named. Eyehategod have long been regarded as the kings of the Sludge scene, and this re-issue of 2000’s Confederacy of Ruined Lives is proof enough that they still hold the crown.
Following their third album ‘Dopesick’ in 1996, the band took some time out to follow various side projects, including Crowbar and Corrosion of Conformity, before getting back together in 2000 to put together ‘Southern Discomfort’, a collection of early material, and subsequently a new full length album. The break obviously done them some good, as ‘Confederacy’ is a far more polished affair than ‘Dopesick’, instead sounding more in line with 93’s ‘Take As Needed For Pain’. Eyehategod have always had a very distinctive sound, and this album is just what you’d expect from them. Southern bluesy doom, a sound akin to Black Sabbath trying to drag their way through a Louisiana swamp, complete with lashings of guitar feedback as Mike Williams vocals ooze with pain and nihilism. As you listen, you can feel yourself being pulled under by the weight of their negativity, and in short order, you succumb to the futility of it all and just let yourself slip below the surface into the suffocating mud. This, I should point out, is a good thing.
Whilst there is an overwhelming feeling of oppression in the sound here, it’s not all a slow, grinding journey to the end. The faster moments when they occur, sound excellent, with Jimmy Bower’s guitar offering slight sniffs of Corrosion of Conformity style grooviness. Stand out tracks here are album opener, ‘Revelation/Revolution’, ‘Blood Money’ and ‘Jack Ass In The Will Of God’, which is a slight reworking of the title track on ‘Southern Discomfort’, and one of the best tracks Eyehategod have ever written. ‘0.01%’ is a bit of a difficult listen, a six and a half minute track where almost half of it is screeching guitar feedback before giving over to Mike’s bitter and anguished howls. Nobody said that listening to these guys is an easy ride, and this album is absolutely no exception. It’s a musical interpretation of suffering, and that’s what makes it interesting. If you are an Eyehategod fan, you should own this without question. If you like your metal sludgy and doomy, definitely give this a look. If you like your metal unchallenging and mainstream, you’ll hate it. Go on though. Give it a try. Embrace the sludge!
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