Band:	Kylesa
Album:	Spiral Shadow
Style:	Sludge metal
Release date:	October 26, 2010
A review by:	BitterCOld

01. Tired Climb
02. Cheating Synergy
03. Drop Out
04. Crowded Road
05. Don't Look Back
06. Distance Closing In
07. To Forget
08. Forsaken
09. Spiral Shadow
10. Back And Forth
11. Dust

"We wanted this to be a 'headphone' album" - explains Laura Pleasants on the "making of? " DVD. The album was to also be about distance - distance in terms of the time and miles with the band, as well as distancing themselves from their prior works.

That it is and that it does.

Not quite the raging slab that was Static Tensions, Spiral Shadow is perhaps Sludge-lite. It still has heaping helpings of bludgeoning sludge, but has some more mellow moments and hypnotic-almost-tribal passages to give the album added moods and depth.

The band delve deep into their vault of stomp boxes (fact: if you lined up all Kylesa's effects pedals back to back, you would encircle the Earth three times. True story) and explore various sound combinations. While tons of effects could be used to cover up weak songs, Kylesa show enough restraint and songwriting chops to make the whole thing work.

The guitars - and even at a couple points in the album, the bass - all undergo sonic changes, as the band apparently didn't use the same pedals/settings more than once? but they aren't layered to the point of taking anything away from the two drummers drumming. They've still got enough space in the mix to give the album backbone.

Laura Pleasants takes over more of the vocal duties than she did in Static Tensions, and also alternates between her intense sludgy shouts and (bad pun incoming. You have been warned) pleasant melodies. Phillip Cope fans need not fret, his vox are still all over the album as well.

While not as directly visceral as it's predecessor, Spiral Shadow is a worthy successor based upon the added elements and depth the band have incorporated into their sound. This is an album that is appealing on first listen, but has enough going on in the periphery to make additional listens enjoyable as well.