Roughly twenty years ago today Neurosis dropped this 68 minute post-sludge monolith that is the sonic edging. They ramp up the tension, the listener keeps waiting for the train to go flying off the track, the levee to break, the volcano to finally go all Krakatoa... but it never really does. This was my first album of theirs based upon Jupe's review and some near 20 years later remains one of the only ten albums I've scored a "10". Don't listen to it often, but I enjoy it thoroughly each time I do spin it.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: RaduP, Daniell, X-Ray Rod, nikarg, Netzach

All right, all you beer drinkers and hell raisers, have you heard this classic from the Texas Trio is turning 50. Five. Muthatruckin'. Oh. This album launched ZZ Top into the stratosphere. So while you may have been waitin for the bus all day, Jesus just left Chicago and you can bet he'll be picking you up in some hot rod, accompanied by three smoking hot ladies and blaring La Grange so loud you can hear it all the way down in Texas.

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Endorsed by: Nejde, RaduP

The slow, plodding tension-infused riff that opens Rust, and the album itself gripped me the first time I started spinning this disk on my truck stereo back in the day. Seven banging tracks deep, some great riffs shifting between slower riffs and that tremolo necro style keep the listener on their toes. The album actually sounds fantastic. Tons of great quotable lyrics that you, too, can sing along with. If Fenriz and Nocturno Teddo were correct with their assertion "black metal is the devil's fuel", this album powered the lake of fire for the better part of the last 20 years... which, incidentally is how long ago they released this one.

Get fucked up and ready to die... at BandCamp!

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: corrupt, nikarg, X-Ray Rod, Nejde, Netzach

Twenty five years ago Ulver released this paean to wolves, eight glorious tracks with blistering pace coupled with some great harmonies and production that basically buzzes like a power drill. None more lo-fi. Hell even the cover art is so cool it finds it's way into the bedroom walls of both Soprano kids, the pretentious Meadow and annoying AJ. And that's not horseshit like "this was recorded at night in the Norwegian woods", it's legit.

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Endorsed by: X-Ray Rod, Daniell, Deadsoulman, nikarg

Paraguay is not a place for bold tastes. Mild wings at Pizza Hut have a flaming chili pepper on the menu. If this slab of blackened death were on the same menu, they'd be Carolina Reaper wings and would have 666 flaming chili peppers taking up the next half page on the menu. So what's it sound like? An assault of guttural vocals and underproduced, ugly blackened death played violently, at velocity and with frenetic energy. So pretty freaking awesome . Or pretty awful, depending upon your proclivities, I suppose. Absolute shame I spent three years there and it wasn't until a couple weeks after I left that this was dropped. Grr. So go to bandcamp and help "Spread the Vomit of Misery and Scorn" or, well, japiro!

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Somewhere in a Ven diagram of Stoner, Doom and Sludge metal, slightly to the Sludge side of the middle sits TarLung. Architect consists of a bunch of Slowbangers - those midpaced riffs that when banging yer cabeza along with seems like either you're enjoying some quality metal or fighting off sleep. Only nothing about this album inspires sleep. TarLung batter you with riff after riff, pounded beat after pounded beat and growl after TarLung-ed growl. If you enjoy any of the styles above, giving this album a pass would be Unthinkable. (That's a BandCamp link for those who haven't figured me out yet. Click it already.)

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Endorsed by: Deadsoulman, ScreamingSteelUS

Eliminator was the first tape I ever bought back when I was BitterCYoung. Perfect for it's time and place, mixed classic blues rock and shuffle with the technological and stylistic shifts music was making at the time. These Tres Hombres were THE coolest dudes on eMpTy-Vee. I even sported the ZZ key chain for a good 20+ years thanks to the vid for "Gimme All Your Loving"... never did score the bad ass hot rod, though. So adios to Dusty Hill, thanks for some great bass lines and anchoring the Top. All you beer drinkers and hell raisers out there know what to do.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: ScreamingSteelUS, Dream Taster, RaduP, Deadsoulman, Daniell, nikarg, corrupt, Abattoir

Wow. Some 25 years ago this slab of sludge so heavy that merely playing it aloud causes such rumbling deep below the Earth's surface that the tectonic plates themselves move. Raw, visceral power. Literature cites three forms of conflict - man vs man, man vs self, man and man vs nature. Time to add another to the list... Man vs music.

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Endorsed by: Deadsoulman, musclassia, X-Ray Rod, Daniell, RaduP, Darkside Momo

If you've ever wondered what would have happened if Chuck had a Tangerine Dream or what Death might sound like in the Upside Down, turn your 1000 Eyes on Nitelight, While some will have Zero Tolerance for such experimentation, those that listen Without Judgement might enjoy this tribute and find this approach mighty interesting. Stranger Things have happened.

Inside Bandcamp Mountain

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Deadsoulman, nikarg, X-Ray Rod, ScreamingSteelUS

The album that got me into Doom. Still love each and every track a decade and change later. Thanks, Marcel.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: nikarg, RaduP, Daniell, ScreamingSteelUS, Troy Killjoy, Dream Taster, X-Ray Rod, Starvynth, wormdrink414, Redel

So this turned 40 years old this week... so pour yourself a pint of Jack & Coke and crank it up. (Didn't feel any additional text to pimp or promote the album was needed. Either you have it and love it or may the Ghost of Lemmy stalk you forever.)

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: RaduP, Auntie Sahar, nikarg, Daniell, ScreamingSteelUS, Darkside Momo, X-Ray Rod

Not my fave Van Halen, but my first. BMG Tape of the Month club, 2nd album I ever owned after ZZ Top Eliminator... So many great memories tied to this album, ranging from my one of my first beers while on a motorboat trip down the Colorado River to being my somewhat obvious sound track when Mrs COld and I visited Colombia's neighbor to the north two years ago. Thanks for the shred, the tapping and the tone, Eddie.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Starvynth, nikarg, ScreamingSteelUS, RaduP, Daniell, Auntie Sahar, Dream Taster

I'd like to thank Dukatalon for giving me 10 years to recover from the beating I suffered at the hands of Saved By Fear. Cheers. Only took me 10 months this go around from the pummeling to recover enough strength to type a staff pick for Involuntary Action. Good, fun pounding music, just like Bob's Sludge Bunker, they play both kinds, fast and slow. Should be a voluntary action on your part to run to bandcamp and check this out.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: musclassia, Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod

So a couple years after I pack up and leave Asuncion, boom, DOOM! iJapiro! In any case, underproduced, female fronted 70's doom estilio Paraguayo. If you really want the BitterCOld-PY experience, put yer stereo in your bathroom, crank the shower as hot as it goes, leave for 20 minutes, shutting the door behind you. Grab a six of watery lager, re-enter the bathroom when it's nothing but a steamy fog. Crank the music, bang along, drink your cervezas. When done, go out and find yourself a lomito. Anecdotes and humor aside, check out the tunes. Good to see PY on the metal map. Lucifer's Bandcamp

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Starvynth, RaduP, Dream Taster

The First "From Dutchland with Doom" package Marcel sent me a dozen years ago contained several tasty treats - Officium Triste, Ortega - and this spicy Blackened-Doom. Immediately caught my ear and along with fellow 2008 release, Esoteric's The Maniacal Vale really opened me up and piqued my interest in the harsher styles of Doom. Basically, half of what I listen to now. A bit raw, as initially a demo, is defo worth a listen.

Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: Troy Killjoy, nikarg, Daniell, Nefarious, X-Ray Rod