Laudanum - The Apotheker

Sick of all the sludge that sounds the same ? This however is some innovative stuff. The songs on this release throw in tons of variation, whether it be a cleverly arpeggiated verse or guitar line, peculiar samples gently woven into the songsgiving them an eerie appeal , intense solos that last long enough to be appreciated, or the overall morbid and very surreal sound they provide the listener with. This album is more of an experience to listen to. There's even suggestions of stoner rock, hardcore, and experimental noise influences in the mix. A very hypnotic and engrossing release that rapidly changes from chunk, raw, and slow, to powerful, aggressive, and in your face at the drop of a hat and without missing a mark. All of that, packed into really great production.

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Laudanum - Coronation

The latest release from Oakland-based Laudanum is a fragmented collection of ambient doom-ish noise that only adequately reveals the band’s self-proclaimed “blackened instrument damage” when it’s listened to as a whole. Some moments, such as much of lengthy album closer “Apotheosis,” bring to mind the kinds of dissonant and industrial noises. Framing the disc as the score to an apocalyptic film is a good way to approach it, as expecting conventional structures (even by heavy music standards) will only lead to disappointment. There are a few moments on the album that move closer to more familiar metal shores, such as with the sporadic appearance of the harsh black/doom-style vocals. Even when expecting a less conventional approach to things, however, the album doesn’t always deliver the necessary goods to keep it interesting. It’s not that it’s boring, it's just not my thing maybe, — the whole is just more important than the individual parts. Most sludge band attempt to crush their listeners with their heavy riffs and violent drumming, while this band with its ambient sections attempts to take the listener to the point of despair and leave them there, trembling.

With this all in mind, The Coronation demands a full listen (probably multiple listens) in order to appreciate its larger project and to overlook its less fantastic moments.


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