Brothers and sisters, I want to welcome you to the Temple of the Crush, the Ministry of Sonic Destruction! Do you look for personal salvation in the crackling chords of KYUSS? Do you crave that deep rumble that vibrates the chest and splits the ears? Brothers and sisters, do you realize there are men and women, boys and girls, out in today’s society that walk the face of this earth unaware of the blood-pumping power of ELECTRIC WIZARD and CATHEDRAL! I realize that this may come as a shock to some of you, members of my beloved ministry, but I assure you that it is the ugly, ugly truth.

But my mission today is not to bring down the congregation, but to inspire positive action. We are not going to change this situation with words alone, are we? Can I get an Amen? Now, I want you to listen up—because this very week, I heard some sounds that burned through to my very soul. I heard some music that came down to me from the mountaintop, and delivered an ungodly noise that made the thunder roll! I saw the lightning flash! I looked the infernal ram’s head straight in the eye and was left exhausted and completely inspired! Want to hear more? All right then.

The band is YOB, and the album is “Catharsis”. Let me say, this release brings a type of profound heaviness into specific relief, and I am here to testify that every single one of you need the slap-upside-the-head that this 3-piece outfit delivers! Three long tracks make up this disc: “Aeons” (18:46), “Ether” (7:13), and “Catharsis” (23:35). Still with me? These songs build and build from low, bubbling baselines to torrential, flattening thunder! Wanna hear about the voice? How about two voices? That’s right—vocalist/guitarist Michael Scheidt makes me a believer from the very start, alternating between a remarkable high-end style like Burke Shelley, and a sinister growl a la Steve Von Till (NEUROSIS). The title track tortures you with it’s flangey clean wah groove, deliciously detonating into a rockslide of screaming, growling, elephantine greatness. Then, as the song progresses into the 20 minute range, the riffs/drums build and build until you realize they have locked into a roaring death march. The guttural, growling comes a-clawing out like a crazed rodent. Just when the song hits its zenith, the music overloads like an engine locking up and fades away, paving the way for another Neanderthal doom-sloth riff. This pattern pretty much perseveres throughout the rest of the entire disc. The highs and lows, ups and downs, calm tides and evil waves of “Catharsis” will vaccinate you from the woes of musical mediocrity faster than you can say “Sky Valley”. Now go forth, buy a copy, and spread the word to aid the sonically hopeless.

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/yobdoom

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