Band:	Ortega
Album:	Sacred States
Style:	Doom metal, Sludge metal
Release date:	October 05, 2016
A review by:	BitterCOld

01. Strong Eye
02. Maelstrom
03. Descending Ladders
04. Crows
05. Void

So after many, many moons Ortega, the band, not the salsa, are finally back with a new full-length. It feels so long I keep mistaking the title of their last proper album, 1634 with the year of release. Ok, it's only been six years, but the band keeps teasing us with eps, singles and splits, oh my.

Is Sacred States worth the wait?

Unequivocally yes.

Ortega are back, doing what they do best. Grinding up a little doom here, post there with a whole lotta sludge and craft songs that gradually build up in tension and intensity, blow up all Krakatoa-like, then re-coalesce. It's an organic feel built on a lot of repetition of a riff or concept, and just slowly adding to it over time.

For example, "Strong Eye" begins with a mid-pace chugga-chugga riff that after a couple minutes in builds up to the point the members are just pummeling their instruments. The EXPLOSION! Isn't just dropping the hammer down and doubling the pace, it's more slow motion riot.

Sacred States might only have five tracks, but they pack in nearly an hour's worth of tunes. The tripped-out "Descending Ladders", at a mere five minutes and change, functions like a nice pivot track separating the first couple and last couple tunes. Three of five clock in around 10 minutes each and the sprawling "Crows", which at almost 19 minutes is worth the band's [url= https://ortegaband.bandcamp.com/album/sacred-states]bandcamp[/url] asking price in and of itself.

So how much did the milodon and myself enjoy this album?



Thiiiiisssss muuucccchhh.

Just hoping they don't take six years for their next full-length!