The Atlas Moth

Raised on the blues metal swagger of staples such as Black Sabbath and Pentagram, embracing elements of thrash and hardcore, and striving to equal the ferocity of Neurosis, Chicago's the Atlas Moth are undoubtedly heavy. Still, despite sonic girth, their overall doom/sludge output feels rather standard issue: unsurprising and borderline predictable. Despite some initially jarring but eventually annoying shifts between shrieks and guttural bellowing, they really weren't that bewitching, even if they did manage to shake soundproofing free from the Wreck Room's ceiling. And it's not that they were horrible in any way, it's just that they were just kind of... there, leaving many to offer support but with a distinct lack of excitement. Take it? Leave it? Yup.