Blackbeard and Why Things are the Way They Are
If this is the kind of hateful madness that being in a suckfest band like Five Pointe O inspires, then maybe those one-time Roadrunner Records commerce rock non-priorities served a purpose after all. Bassist Sean Pavey leaves his common denominator past behind him with his new four-piece, Blackbeard, making up for lost time with nasty sludge and sandpaper-grade audio abrasion on the inevitable self-released EP, That’s Why They Call it Dying…, and though I’m not one for ending titles with ellipses, two minutes into opener “Breath of Life/Life’s End” and any and all punctuational grievances are moot. All that’s left is heavy.
You’ll note the part above where it says “sludge.” The thing about that is sludge is, by and large, pretty predictable when it comes to metallic subgenres. It’s usually slow, thick, underproduced and topped off with visceral screams. On that level, these Joliet, Illinois, locals don’t disappoint. That’s Why They Call it Dying… varies the pace of its attack, but the attack is still basically in line with expectation. Doesn’t take away from the immediacy of the songs or the effectiveness of the slowed-down mosh riffs of “Kidney Stoned” or “The Peasant Song,” the latter of which shows a Pantera influence not only in Robert Hughes‘ throat-stinging vocals, but also in the riffs of guitarist John Foster and the alternate time kept by drummer Dan Snodgrass. For his part, Pavey is appropriately rumbling throughout, coming to the surface to introduce a masterful Sleep riff on “The Reckoning” before diving back under the surface of the song to make room for the guitar.
Middle cut of the five included, “Endless Winter,” boasts a sub-Neurosis insistent cadence without veering into post-metal at all, and Foster‘s guitar shows off some unexpected dynamics, setting Blackbeard apart from the endless ring of sludgers content to ape Eyehategod and release two 7″s before unceremoniously attaching a “R.I.P.” to their MySpace account headline. That’s not to say That’s Why They Call it Dying… is going to launch a new wave of sludge, just that the surprisingly professional production and execution of the EP — recorded live, it should be noted — is also apparent in the songcraft. Whether that’s Pavey‘s industry experience or not I couldn’t say beyond conjecture, but wherever it comes from, it’s to Blackbeard‘s benefit.
A few killer riffs and stomping rhythms later, That’s Why They Call it Dying… comes to an irreverent finish and makes its relatively unassuming exit. I’m not sure where Blackbeard are headed or what their goals are beyond playing out and recording songs, but with this debut, they’ve unabashedly shown they have it in them to execute high-order sludge that maintains its primal intensity. A solid starting point for a new beginning.
Tags: Blackbeard, Illinois, Sludge, Unsigned bands
