J-Man
Consisting only of fuzzed-out bass, sonically violent drumming, and aggressive vocals, the debut album from Virginian stoners Akris represents one of the most stripped-down approaches to sludge metal that I've ever heard. With compositions usually based on punky bass riffs and atonal vocal lines, Akris's music is not the most easily listenable in the world, but the hypnotic and repetitive nature of the songs here is likely to have a psychedelic effect on some listeners. As an album that clocks in at nearly sixty-five minutes, however, this effect can quickly become tiresome; the tracks here are tough to distinguish from one another as it is, and the lengthy playing time only highlights the one-dimensional reality of Akris's music. Folks looking for raw sludge metal may enjoy this one, but most readers can probably skip without hesitation.