REVIEW: “PARIAHS” from Canadian Stoner Sludge-Core Artists ALIENATOR

I have said before, time and time again, that I love the opportunity to get to listen to new music. Not only do I get new hardcore records fed to me practically intravenously, but it forces me to venture outside of my comfort zone. Which is why I have come to appreciate this new record just recently released by ALIENATOR from Ontario, Canada called PARIAHS, presented through this recent track by track feature on IDIOTEQ!

This “Stoner Sludge Metalcore Band” kicks off the album with the instrumental noise track, ~~~~~~~~~. This was just an instrumental lead-in to the track, False Hope. The music is heavy and has a CLUTCH feel to it. The vocals are a bit screamy but highly audible and very clear. The next track, Morgue Bait, start off heavy and pounding, then throws a bit of sludge groove at you and then mixes it up with some blast beats before dropping a bomb with its slow, brutal, fading end. One of the top tracks for sure on this record. The next one, Wishing in One Hand…, starts off with a slow, progressive guitar and bass line that gets you into the groove in time to get hit by the “sludge”!

Some more sampling and creepy spoken words in the next track, ((((((())))))), before Renovicted (Ode to Vancouver) drops a ton of “Sludge Groove “on yo’ ass. Another top track in my book, as we all can relate to the high cost of housing and space in general. Perhaps, my favorite track off the entire album, Drag the River, just rips. It’s got Sludge, Groove and that whole vibe while keeping a fast pace as well. Aside from a mix of CLUTCH, I can hear traces of bands like DOWN, and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE influence as well. More of the same killer sounds can be expected from the next song called, LRH. More killer riffs and heavy groove in full force.

oooo0OO0oooo is another track of sampling thrown in there to bug you out and break up the record again before, the instrumental track, Intravenous Flytrap, gets your head bobbing. Then Reptilian Endoskeleton, the next track, comes crashing in on you. A solid track with good dynamics with a tight build-up at the end. For all the same reasons you loved the previous tracks, Neon Black, will keep you steady on the same path.

Dead Inside, the final song on the recording, closes this effort nicely. Slow and heavy with a cool piano outro is how this song hit the spot! All in all, this album was very cool. I do not listen to that much Sludge Metal these days, but I was glad to have given a listen to these guys. I do not know much about them other than they just put out a good metal album so go check it out.