Originally released in 2006, "Materia" is the third full-length release from Belgian tarpit kings BLUTCH. Frankly, with so many bands churning out sludgy or ambient stoner metal, it's easy for a band like this to get lost in the shuffle. As it stands, that would be an unspeakable crime, because "Materia" is a complex, and excruciatingly heavy platter that gains power and appeal spin after spin.

Like godfathers of the genre, BLUTCH has mastered the art of building tension in their compositions. The songs on "Materia" are like a glass box swirling with black smoke. Once opened, the stuff swirls around the room, dancing, pulsing, forming frightening shapes, suffocating the listener temporarily and leaving all involved with their tongues on the floor. Think about some of the better NEUROSIS stuff or "The Thing That Should Not Be" -- that's the kind of swarming and swelling we're talking about. "Burst" is perhaps the pick of the litter, building and building with an intensity that recalls "Bullhead"-era MELVINS, complete with outstanding stickwork from drummer Pask. The percussion in the intro to "Beguiling Comer" sounds like the dramatic score from "Superman II" (the one with General Zod). Vocally, Djinn's contortions are reminiscent of CONVERGE's Jake Bannon. "Moving Ground" includes this 'wheezing' vocal effect -- highly original and deeply disturbing. The disc ends with "Confutatis", a sort of brown-note search in the style of SUNNO)), but much more interesting in its construction.

As you're probably surmising by now, I can't recommend this disc much more highly to fans of YOB, MELVINS, or SLEEP. Even the digipack oozes coolness. Their website has samples of just about every song they've ever released, so get on it.

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: www.blutch-music.net

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