Bloodiest are a deeply fascinating band to me, the kind of thing that doesn't seem like it should work initially and then somehow does, clicking together like a finely made jigsaw. This album represents exactly what I love about metal, the fusion of elements and the absurd beauty of a music that God seemed to spurn. With their self titled sophomore effort, Bloodiest provide brainy metal that comes together with ebbs and flows, twists and turns to unleash the kind of music that forces you to really think and pick apart the internal power of their creation. The polymerization of Crowbar with Neurosis makes for some very heavy and cerebral but also primal music. This is the kind of thing that resonates on multiple levels and uses the strength of the compositions to draw the listener in and then never let them leave.
That being said – the album is not without its drawbacks. The shouted vocal style at times feels weak and almost amateurish, and while in some contexts that might be endearing and draw me further in, here it leaves me wanting. Of course, when the bands vocalist, Bruce Lamont, turns to growls there is suddenly a much more profound power to the music. It fits in nicely with the other elements of the sound to guide the whole thing forward. Beyond that – the occasionally awkward flow shows the natural discomfort that comes with putting out your first record in half a decade. This is to be expected though and is very well handled, especially considering the depth of the composition. There's a whole lot to dig into here and despite the youth of the band the guys manage to pull it off with aplomb.
All things considered, Bloodiest sound almost exactly what you'd expect a band featuring current and past members of Corrections House, Russian Circles and Sterling (Among many others) and I can't help but say I kind of dig it. There is something inherently appealing about smart music that forces you to turn back the clock, look within and consider the powerful drones and crushing grooves that brought so many of us into the weirder side of the metal world. The primitive chaos and mind boggling madness of a song like 'He Is Disease' is impressive, it makes you to question your sanity and openly encourages the listener to stare deep into the void.
Bleak and unforgiving, balance of acoustic artistry with pure Yob-inspired riffing is enough to make me want to spin the album a handful of times. Furthermore, the sense of despair that the band is able to communicate is deep and powerful, resonant even. It shows a blacker reality and one that I think that far to few of us are comfortable really dealing with. You hear the bands distorted ramblings, tortured drones and demented chord changes and it's hard to think anything other than 'Damn, this is what the face of darkness must look like'. There is no workaround, Bloodiest understand what it means to suffer and they want to draw you into the divine pain that is their existence, for better or for worse.
7/10
