Deadbird

Arkansas-based Deadbird impressed the heck out of me with 2005’s The Head and the Heart (on the ultra-cool Codebreaker Records). They didn’t make much of an impact but maybe with bands like Baroness and Rwake making minor ripples in the underground Deadbird’s brand of extremity can reach a somewhat larger audience (you know, 150 people, not just 120). On this disc, the band take their sludge-ridden sound and crawl further up their own collective butt, with six songs lumbering along in 47 minutes bands like Neurosis come to mind now and again but mainly it’s the down South looseness of Rwake or Eyehategod that really is the comparison point. "Death of the Self” incorporates clean vocals to much success, as does "Rule Discordia,” which channels ’70s arena rock (somehow in vibe only). This is hard to categorise, which is great — these guys just pummel, clearly not giving a damn about the listener, who may find apocalyptic rumbling mixed with serene acoustics mixed with a ragged, crusted-up edge a bit much to bear. But for those who get it, this is glorious stuff.