JUMBO'S KILLCRANE (The Slow Decay) CD
The fourth full length album from JUMBO'S KILLCRANE has been released last year by Crucial Blast, and once again this US three-piece shows that sludgecore and noise rock have some undeniable likeness. After hearing this sonic slab of complex hooks and searing noise, I'm sure that the nearly forgotten genre of noise rock is more alive than ever, and this band have injected a lot of fresh blood into its veins. They have thrown in a lot of different styles to play something real monumental, with an emphasize on heaviness and variety. Sludge, Metal and math-rock ideas flow freely together to create JUMBO'S KILLCRANE's destructive slightly psychotic but still very emotional charged sound. Just check out the title song "The Slow Decay" which belongs to one of the best cuts, that have ever been written by the band. I love this changes between massive angerfueled heaviness, and powerful melancholy as in this one. The press info describes the sound as 'prog-sludge', but I can't find the progressive edge in their sound.
For it, the entire complexity is still too conventional and I think, that sludge can be a very progressive genre in itself, because it combines a lot of different influences, when its played in the most convincing form. Well, but this time the trio is more epic than before and although "The Slow Decay" is still blues-drenched, the album is more metal than any previous albums from JUMBO'S KILLCRANE. It has been engineered by Robert Rebeck at Black Lodge Studios and he captured the energy and passion of the band, while the whole sound is still very transparent and full of details. The bass-sound is in full-effect and sounds heavier and better than on the earlier releases, and Erik Jarvis vocals are highly distorted, not to forget his varied guitarwork. "The Slow Decay" is JUMBO'S KILLCRANE's masterpiece, and if they keep this quality I will love this band much more as I do it now. A definite recommendation for all those who love their rock real noisy and sludgy.
(KK)