Written by Carcassbomb
- Sunrot
- Sunnata
- Sludge Crust Punk Violence MURDER CHAOS
- New Jersey
- 2017
- 9.2/10
Sunrot appeals to me artistically and the brand of sludge on display here is exactly what I crave. It’s harsh and abrasive, it’s hardcore punk. It’s dirty and loving it like a dog licking its own arse with a course tongue. This is music to have nose bleeds to.
If you’ve ever heard of The Great Work by Centurions Ghost or a lot of Neurosis then you’ll be right at home with this one. It might not be entirely obvious to newcomers to NoobHeavy but I have a very fond appreciation for hardcore. Straight fucking hardcore and a lot of metallic hardcore. So this fusing of those punk elements into a feedback filled sludge record is a gift just for me. It’s a sound to move your whole body to, whether you’re moshing in your 170 dollar gaming chair or working out at the gym. There’s a physical presence in this music.
The artwork is an interesting piece that conveys the albums cosmic themes well. This album does sound like the swirling of objects into an unknown void at times. The art is done by @ibayarifin who does a lot of good work. Normally this is where I put a video of the album as per my format but I can’t find one so here’s a live video of them where you can get a feel for the punk vibes I mentioned:
Vocally we have a person who is an absolute unit and powerhouse of a vocalist. Really powerful voice that fits sludge like a glove. If you notice the bandcamp credits, there’s a lot of guest vocalist and collaborators on this record. It really shows because the tracks don’t get stale, there’s always a new element being introduced when they feel they’ve droned on too long. Even in parts where it’s just post metal with a person doing spoken word, it’s another layer to the sound to process. They aren’t always going all out, they know how to take their time as well with earned tension.
The standout track for me is The One You Feed (Part 1.). Perhaps it was the long journey to get to this track but it hit an emotional peak for me here. I got goosebumps at the sheer power the primal expression throughout this track. It’s so fucking doomy and like the cosmos, brings a layer of beauty into this chaotic clusterfuck of emotions. The whole thing is great, it should be listened as a whole album because it is quite sequential. It’s constructed well, it winds up in fervor towards the end and when you think you’re going to get a happy ending or at the very least a release from Sunrot‘s grip, but no, the final track plays out what I describe as Eraserheadcore. TM mother fuckers.
Overall it’s such a long beefy album with a lot of storytelling that I’ll have to find lyrics for or decipher. It’s such a good experience to just dissolve into. Check out these lyrics from Aorta:
“We are the waves that rise to touch the sky, born to fall into sleep. The parabola unfolded, intoxicating in its essence. The heart’s crown is weightless in your hands, set forth from desire. The light trails lead us forward, we are lost at sea. Lost at sea with words as anchors. Letting go, but not adrift. We know the tides, watch them align to pull and sway the currents. Still a sail through the fog, we move on, we keep moving. Beingness is solitude, balanced is precision. We’re purified in rays. Now I have reached composure. Bound by the moon, crossed by the stars”
This is like if La Dispute did metal. You can feel the lyrics in the music as well, the way the words affect the beat and tone. It’s such a well delivered story driven album. Something that puts an album right to the top of the doom hierarchy. The difference here is, most storytellers don’t quite tell their story as loudly and aggressively as Sunrot does.
Check this the fuck out, this band should be way bigger.
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