Black Sheep Wall

Together with Admiral Angry and Noriega, Los Angeles, CA's Black Sheep Wall have had an exclusive membership for spiteful, extended, downtuned beatings. Indeed, having Noriega vocalist Trae Malone picking up the mic on No Matter Where It Ends has had an obvious effect on Black Sheep Wall's transition from hammer-swinging anger to despair-inducing sludge. For those still clutching the band's five-year-old I Am God Songs, it may come as a surprise that most tracks, save for "Liminality," tend to creep into darkness rather than immediately bludgeon the listener. "Ambient Ambitions" stands out as a highlight, catching the listener in a swirling melodic web that's best served with opioids, but others feel like they fall short of the group's aim, leaving a gap that was previously filled by those moments of pure vitriolic hatred where they grabbed by the jaw. For all the projected misery, one can't help but wonder what it would've been like if it was delivered in a more distilled form.