It’s the world of sludge that I don’t think that I can get enough of. Just the overall grit of everything that encapsulates the style is so much of what I love about my metal with how nasty it always feels right out the gate with an overwhelming presence in every moment to match. Smash that together with undeniable riffs and an unforgettable attitude, and the right sludge act could easily poise themselves to be the next act that’s not to be missed. With their newest work, TarLung is putting themselves in that exact position.
It’s far too often that sludge is tagged to be paired with doom metal at virtually every single turn with many thinking that you cannot have sludge without doom, but that has always been far from the case with many bands still allowing sludge to become its own thing altogether with many great works bringing proof of concept to just that. It’s in the six tracks of “Architect” that TarLung accomplishes that feat virtually without breaking a sweat, and it’s with each of those tracks that the style is done no less than extreme justice with appropriate heaviness, thick riffs, and spectacular atmospheres to be found across every inch that the record dominates our eardrums. TarLung quickly shows that they have a firm hold over their craft with the whole of the record marching forth at a steady yet immensely patient pace that’s hand-crafted for maximum effect while the slow burn works its way into the listener at the most opportune moment such that it’ll be at the closing of “Architect” that the listener should be scrambling to hear more as the constant lumbering forth of TarLung is downright intoxication in some one of its heaviest forms. It allows the record to truly sprawl out into something truly remarkable right from the get-go as TarLung’s performance becomes nigh on exhilarating for any fan of a proper slow burn, sludge-filled heaviness, or even just some and properly well done music as it won’t be hard for anyone with an ear for good metal to know that this work is something that demands to be heard.
Sludge has always been both under-represented as well as misunderstood in my eyes with its constant pairing with doom being justified on many occasions but far too stereotypical for you to risk drowning out true sludge experiences like what we’ve got here and I’ll be damned before I allow “Architect” to become a downplayed work of excellence that sludge has always been demanding more of. “Architect” could very well be an architect of a different type; that which will build the pedastal for TarLung to stand tall and proud on upon its release.
LISTEN to “Architect” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE TarLung on Facebook here.
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