Shrinebuilder

Was there ever any doubt about the crushing capacity and ceaseless aural infatuation that a band such as Shrinebuilder would be capable of? Seeing as the quartet are comprised of virtually every authoritative groove/doom/stoner/progressive metal musician of the past decade ― the Obsessed's Scott "Wino" Weinrich, Sleep's Al Cisneros, Neurosis's Scott Kelly and Melvins' Dale Crover ― for them to release something that would suck had some ridiculously low odds. As expected, this eponymous disc pushes the boundaries of recording technology, featuring four tracks clocking in at half an hour, reverberating distortion evocative of Black Sabbath's timeless Volume IV and pacing somewhat thereabouts as well. Factor in a few majestic moments clearly culled from Pelican, a track ("Pyramid Of The Moon") Type O Negative would beg for, vocals that shift between Wino's throaty crooning and Kelly's inimitably husky growl, and this glutinous mass of serenity colliding with colossal girth certifies that dichotomous timbres can resonate with far greater impact than bands that rage relentlessly achieve. This is the epitome of haunting, hypnotizing drone.