SITHTER - Chaotic Fiend

Sludge metal is easy to do, but difficult to do well. Plenty of bands, especially over the last decade, have made a decent go of it by tuning down, smoking up and phoning it in. When metal returns to its inevitable 'winter' phase - where all the tourists and hipsters move on to their next novelty, and the fans that were always here remain - many of these bands will thankfully disappear, but something tells me Tokyo's Sithter will remain as well. (Just to get it out of the way right now: yes, the band's name sounds like Mike Tyson trying to say "sister".) Building off the momentum of debut Evilfucker, the band has filtered their abundant kinetic energy through improved production work without losing vitality. Chaotic Fiend is the result.

The opening title track lets listeners know exactly what's going on: droning feedback, looped samples, and a big whoppin' riff. While Sithter explore more of the psychedelic end of the doom spectrum than forefathers Grief or Buzzoven, that doesn't mean it's all flower power: vocalist/guitarist Hiroyuki Takano spits pure vitriolic venom, and when he doubles up with guitarist/Sithter founder Hyo Kagawa, it's more EYEHATEGOD than Thin Lizzy.

Fellow Japanese sludgelords Church Of Misery are the most obvious reference point, but there's less boogie and more broken glass in Sithter's approach to songs. On jams like "Smoke Demon" and "Masque Of The Black Death" they truly capture the 'relief via despair' vibe that their American influences created and perfected. The audio equivalent of a really enjoyable back alley knife fight. 

Chaotic Fiend ends on an ridiculously epic mega-doom note with 16+ minute closer "Jerusalem Axe Massacre". On par with some of Sleep or Acid King's best output, it encompasses groaning chants, swirling riffs, memorable solos, spoken word narration, and more. Each listen reveals a new layer; if not for the December release date, it would be making more than a few "best doom tracks of the year" list. Regardless of month, Chaotic Fiend is a sludge metal beast and will hold its own in years to come.

 Chaotic Fiend comes out December 9 on Bonten Records. You can preorder it HERE.