Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal.
Let’s continue to count down THTH’s Top 5 albums of 2018:
5) Sevendust – All I See Is War
4) Sumac – Love In Shadow
This band is no stranger to the THTH Top 5 list, taking out the top spot two years ago in 2016 with their album What One Becomes. Does this say more about me than the band themselves? Am I a rabid, frothing fanboy or does this band do more for metal with every release than most metal bands do throughout their entire careers, rhetorical question, obviously. Love In Shadow is sledgehammer heavy, thought provoking and anxiety inducing all in one album, across four opuses that average more than 15 minutes each, the record’s duration exceeds an hour.
The band’s doom tracks are infused with improvised blues, winding instrumental passages and sheer noise that is bookended by their signature thunderous and pummelling stripped back ferocity. That’s not to say those parts aren’t heavy, but that Sumac do brilliantly is bring you back into their realm after taking you for a ride through dissonant musical territories you may have never thought possible.
It has been nine years since Aaron Turner’s previous project, ISIS, released their last album and eight years since the band decided to part ways. This departure lead Aaron Turner to form Sumac and this release cements the difference between the two projects and smashes the last nail in the coffin of the past whilst paving a path for Sumac towards the future, as winding as that path may be based on their previous releases. Considering the way this band in going, if they haven’t reinvented metal by the time they’re through then at least the genre as a whole will be on the verge of a collective rethink thanks to these guys. Metal has always been pushing the boundaries and Sumac continue to stretch and contort the genre’s musical confines with amazing and startling success.
In other news
Psycroptic will play Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Thursday November 29.
Ballarat’s Blaze Music Festival featuring Dead City Ruins, Hadal Maw, Dreadnaught, Whoretopsy and many more will be held at Karova Lounge on Saturday January 26.
The 10th annual Progfest featuring The Ocean and Monuments, with more to be announced, will be held at Melbourne’s The Croxton on Saturday January 26.
Alestorm will be at Melbourne’s Croxton on Saturday February 9.
Watain will play Melbourne’s Max Watts on Friday February 22.
Devin Townsend will release his new album Empath in March 2019.
Ensiferum will be at Melbourne’s Max Watts on Saturday March 2.
Download 2019 will be held at Flemington Racecourse on Monday March 11.
Soilwork will be at Max Watts on Saturday March 16.
Emperor will play their landmark album Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk in its entirety at 170 Russell on Wednesday April 3.
If you have any news about local metal bands, shows or albums, let THTH know by emailing to [email protected] or get in touch via Twitter at @TooHeavyToHug
Written by Paul S Taylor