Just as American Sludge Metal mainstays like Mastodon, High on Fire, Kylesa, and Black Tusk were beginning to loose their luster, a new crop a Canadian bands have brought back the genre’s heavier side. The Great Sabatini is one of these bands, and their new album Dog Years sees them perfecting their blend of sludge and hardcore music. The band opens the album showcasing their Ken-Mode and Unsane influences with tracks like “The Royal We” and “Nursing Home” which will please fans familiar with the band’s work.
The album really hits its stride with its middle tracks. Just as the listener has become comfortable with band’s sound, The Great Sabatini break the mold with their Torche- worship track “Reach” and a slide-guitar infused “Akela”. These songs see the band showcasing a more melodic side to their sound which has not been present before. It is the kind of progression that a listener hopes for with each subsequent release from a band.
Just as the album has taken a completely different approach, The Great Sabatini bring it back to Sludge with the albums heaviest track “Munera”, and the infectious groves of “Ditch Diggers Unlimited”. The album isn’t, however, without it slumps. The tracks “Pitchfork Pete” is a clear filler on the album, and “Life During Wartime” doesn’t seem to workout as an experimental piano piece. Overall, this album is must listen to those who are interested in new Canadian Metal music. Their a surge of new blood within Canada’s Metal scene, and The Great Sabatini may very well be its front-runners.
