Blindead - Affliction XXIX II MXMVI (2010)^{Release ID: 7062}

This was the first album that I listened to on my journey and Atmospheric Sludge Metal challenge, and I've listened to this multiple times now. Sometimes finishing it, other times just starting it and just not wanting to spend my time with it. After these multiple sessions I'm just bored, I've found interesting bits that I try to hold onto like what I believe is sax early on in the album that makes me feel like a little more jazz could spice it up a bit. Later on the vocals feel straight out of 90's Seattle Washington grunge music and the instrumentation even feels like it just slowed and sludged up the style but all it did for me was have me go back and listen to early Mudhoney and have a much better time. This just isn't for me, and I feel bad giving this such a low rating, but I can't justify giving it a good one since I was so bored by it and know there are others out there like me who could use a view on the other side of the river. I am learning more and more this is just not my type of music but for me this is definitely not the direction of sludge or slower metal that I want to listen to but I know this is just a fork in the road for me where I found other music here similar that's more akin to what I want to hear and this is the prime example of what I don't want to hear. I can't say this is inherently bad and know this isn't what I want but I would also recommend this to someone who asks about this style and I would gladly show this record to them and I would be sincere knowing they would like it and not just a complete joke of an album for us to all laugh at.

This is an outstanding example of atmospheric sludge metal from Polish act Blindead. It's got all of the ingredients you look for in this type of release. It's crushingly heavy & intense with plenty of tension & release. The production is top notch too. Don't expect to hear anything dramatically different from other bands from this genre but when it's done this well it doesn't really matter. The more ambient sections are nearly as impressive as the heavier parts with the vocals being a highlight throughout. I noticed lots of Neurosis-style tribal drumming which can only be a good thing. It doesn't get much better than this for fans of post-metal.