Ghost Empire - Self Titled 2010

Fuzzzzzzzzz fuzzzzzzzzzz fuzzzzzz swirls and voice overs and fuzzzzzzzzzz. Like that sweater your grandma buys you every holiday that makes you itch like crazy, Ghost Empire's 2010 self titled album is one fuzzy son of a bitch.

It's definitely doomy and sludgy as label, Nojoy Records (although they're on Absurd Creature the same label that released the Gottesmorder EP, Nojoy is run by a member(s) of Gottesmorder), described them but there is more than your typical sludge going on. Sure there are the heavy as a smoker's lungs riffage and scream/yell vocals and feedback mountain ranges pushing your ear-holes to the limit but then there are also some samples fit into the mix, some echoing speech and some electronics a la Batillus (thought I reviewed their album on here but apparently I didn't).

There are eight tracks on this album and they sound even more interesting in headphones, sweeping back and forth from ear to ear giving a nice unsettling feel.

Mutilation Rites, Batillus, and Racebannon

So last night, in Indianapolis, at a little music shop called Vibes Music (which is pretty awesome, first time being, and I think I'll be making regular trips there from now on, awesome collection) Coffinworm, Mutilation Rites, Batillus, and Racebannon put on a show. The title excludes Coffinworm because I had to skip out before I got to see them. Huge disappointment, but I know they're awesome live already, and work at 8 in the morning isn't fun.

Anyhow, the show was amazing(ly hot), with fine technical(problems) amp work and just an overall electric show.

Mutilation Rites started off the evening, well, attempted to a number of times. Guitarist/Vocalist George for this New York Black Metal with some chunks of sludgeness, was repeatedly shocked by