J-Man In the world of underground atmospheric metal, Sadgiqacea and Grass are two of the biggest names in the Philadelphia area. These two hard-working acts both sport unique sounds that walk the line between psychedelic sludge and pummeling doom metal, so a split LP between the two local, and rather similar, acts seems like a match made in heaven (or hell, if you prefer). This four-song split album shows both bands delivering two lengthy compositions, all of which are captivating journeys in their own right. Although split albums often seem to consist of a group's “leftover” material, everything offered on this LP is immensely satisfying. Fans of doomy and psychedelic sludge metal will find plenty to enjoy here.

Sadgiqacea is a band I've enjoyed quite a bit for the past year or so, but Grass is a new name to me. I knew to expect an aggressive, bone-crushingly heavy, and slightly experimental style of filthy doom metal from Sadgiqacea, and it seems like Grass actually plays a pretty similar style on this album. The Grass portion of the split perhaps has a bit more of a post-rock influence, but the bottom line is that if you enjoy one of these bands, you'll definitely like both. Sadgiqacea opens up the split in full-force, with the extremely powerful and Mastodon-influenced “The Great Divide”. “Avianizer” is an epic tune that shows the more psychedelic and reflective side of the band's music, while still including plenty of pummeling riffs to satisfy those who crave a heavy edge in their music. Grass begins their side of the split with the eleven-minute masterpiece “Future Ruins” that seamlessly melds sludge metal, experimental doom, and post rock into a unique mold that is distinctly their own. “Chasing Demons Out the Holler” is a heavier song than the previous one, but it still has an epic and quirky sensibility to satisfy more forward-thinking metal fans.

Although I could've wished for possibly a bit more material from both bands, the bottom line is that this is still 35 minutes of absolutely top-notch sludge/doom metal. Sadgiqacea and Grass both are unique bands with something new to offer to this crowded genre, and their abilities as musicians and composers should guarantee success in the coming years. Those with a curiosity about what the Philadelphia metal scene has to offer will definitely want to check out this split - but make sure you act quickly, as the limited edition 12” vinyl is only available in 500 copies. I'd say 4 gold stars are well-deserved for this impressive split album.