voila_la_scorie When the Metal Gods created Mastodon, they looked and listened and were so impressed with the album "Leviathan" that they thought it would be cool to have another band creating music like that. So the gods winked at each other and set forth across the North American continent to find a city far away from Atlanta, Georgia where they would cast their mould once more. They crossed the 49th Parallel as they neared the western reaches of the continent and stopped just before the main landmass broke into islands at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, and there they created Bison. Who soon went and changed their name to Bison B.C. so as not to be confused with (or actually sued by) other bands who were using the same name.

This is Bison B.C.'s debut album and their second release after their EP "Earthbound". If you are a fan of Mastodon's "Leviathan" and want something that pounds just as heavily and pulverizes just as effectively, then "Quiet Earth" is a good place to come. This is eight tracks of continuous sledgehammer slamming. The band knows how to hit the heavies with guitar chords, bass, and drums all slamming down at once to create these massive, explosive riffs that are like the impacts of some colossal beast stomping down on the landscape. Concrete structures shatter like dried clay, windows blow out like supernovas, and vehicles are launched into the air.

The vocals of James Gnarwell are quite similar to those of Mastodon's (I'm not sure which of the two vocalists it is though, but not the one who sang the "Blood and thunder" part in the song "Blood and Thunder"). In spite of the similarity, however, James Gnarwell does have his own distinct quality to his voice. There is a second vocalist who appears in "These Are My Dress Clothes" and whose voice is deeper and more like death vocals. They add another layer of interest, and it would have been nice to hear them again.

All eight tracks presented here are similar in their unrelenting thunder, but you will hear the intro to "Wendigo, Part 1: Quest for Fire" has a cello and violin and these instruments turn up again in the final track, the title track of the album.

Aside from all that, "Quiet Earth" can lay a city flat. But it's not limited to just dropping oil tankers on the town. There's a fair bit of musical play time and time signature juggling in some tracks, a sludge approach to progressive metal. It doesn't surprise me as the other sludge bands I'm most familiar with are Mastodon and Baroness. If the band had stuck to just hammering down chords and blowing out the vocal chords of impersonators, it would still be pretty cool. But thankfully, there are some small additions like the extra vocals, the cello and violin, and ventures into trickier music to play that make my ears perk up every time after I think the band's approach is to just blast out the chords. On the strength of this album here, I have gone ahead and ordered the next one in their discography.

So, if someone ever asks you if there's an album out their that's similar to "Leviathan", you can recommend "Quiet Earth" by Bison!

Time Signature Anxiety puke...

Genre: sludge metal

The Canadian sludgesters in Bison B.C. are back with their third album Lovelessness, which they released in october 2012.

Neatly finding a balance between the doomy side and the hardcore side to sludge metal, Bison B.C. make use of both crushingly heavy passages, often with a slight Black Sabbath-esque feel to them, with aggressive and simple hardcore punk-styled riffs (as in 'Clozapine Dream' and the first part of 'Anxiety Puke/Lovelessness') and some of which have a primitive thrash feel to them (as in the more aggressive passages of 'An Old Friend'). A particulary interesting feature is the use of melodic figures that are built into some of the riffs, which makes one think of melodic doom metal – which we hear in the second part of 'Anxiety Puke / Lovelessness'. The vocals are aggressive and suit the roughness of the music itself quite well, but the harshness of the vocals also contribute to a slight sense of monotony.

In all, Lovelessness is a fine sludge album, but probably one that appeals more to hardcore fans of the genre than to casual listeners. So, if you are a real sludgehead, do give this album a listen or two.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)

Pelata A little Doom, a dash of Sludge, a hint of Stoner and a whole lot of Metal comprise the music of Canada’s Bison B.C. Mixing these influences into a cohesive concoction could have been no easy task, but Bison B.C makes it sound natural…jumping from grooves to melodies to fast to slow tempos has never sounded so good. Longer instrumental sections take on a hypnotic vibe as well. There is a bit of a retro feel to the album, but make no mistake…it’s not “throwback” by any stretch.

Recorded in just 2 weeks time, Quiet Earth is energetic, fresh and full of fire. The guitar work from riffs to melodies to solos is outstanding. The instrumental “Medication” has some great, Trouble-esque guitar harmonies (which can be found in several places on the album) with some explosive riffing akin to Mastodon or maybe Giant Squid’s heavier moments. “Primal Emptiness Of Outer Space” kicks things off in head-banging territory with a big riff on the verse & aggressive, shouted vocals. “Dark Towers” shows a little Thrash Metal influence as well. The epic, two-part monster “Wendigo” (“I: Quest For Fire” and “II: Cursed To Roam”) runs the gamut from a string section intro (reminding me a tad of Believer’s orchestral interludes), bombastic Doom devastation, aggressive up-tempo Metal (with a dash of Punk) and a mind-tripping outro. The mesmerizing title track closes the album perfectly. This is a song meant to be played live. By the time the vocals kick in (over 2 minutes after the song starts), the crowd will no doubt be in a fist-pumping frenzy before inciting a pit-riot like no other.

This record is massive. Heavy through and through, top shelf musicianship and songs that beg for repeated listens. You can’t go wrong with this one.

Pelata Canada’s Bison B.C. return with their second full-length for Metal Blade Records and, after a few spins, the band members seem to have outdone themselves. This record carries everything up a notch… the Doomy atmospheres, the stomping Stoner grooves, the intricate arrangements and the impressive musicianship. There is no holding back, no simplifying, no softening up under the guise of “broadening their fanbase”. These guys do what they do and you either like it or you don’t.

“Two-Day Booze” just comes in ripping the doors off with it’s harmonized guitar intro before diving into a beastly groove… loads of aggression in this one. “Take The Next Exit” shows a little thrash metal influence with it’s neck-snapping opening riff before the Pink-ish verse kicks in. In fact, a lot of the vocals have a very Punk-like vibe about them, but run from screaming growls to angsty yelling. The 8-minute-plus opening track “Stressed Elephant” is simply superb. Some of the parts of this songs remind me of some of the more modern, post-metal bands like Isis or Irepress… that sonic wall guitar tone and the suffocating riffs… but with a tad more groove about it. “Fear Cave” offers more weighty, doom-laden madness with thrashy, head-banging moments thrown in for good measure.

All in all, I’d say Dark Ages is a more than worthy follow up to Quiet Earth. I love it and will find myself spinning it often, no doubt. Seek it out… it will be worth whatever it takes for you to own it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to punish myself incessantly for missing their show w/ High On Fire in 2010.

Conor Fynes 'Dark Ages' - Bison B.C (7/10)

As a band hailing from my hometown of Vancouver that has recently some into a bit of sucess, it's safe to say that I have been watching this band and their rise to fame in anticipation. Having seen them live multiple times before, they are one of the most energetic and heavy bands out there in the metal scene. Fueled by their self proclaimed 'love of the riff,' Bison focuses their talent around creating thick and heavy riffs that wouldn't sound out of place as a soundtrack to a night of heavy drinking and metal excess. This heavy metal archetype aside however, Bison reinforces this primal rage with something many of its contemporaries seem to have overlooked; a sense of intelligence and buried sophistication to their sound.

With the 2010 album 'Dark Ages,' Bison has even further developed their punk and thrash- ridden energy into something more unexpected than their first major recording, 'Quiet Earth.' From the first few seconds of the opener 'Stressed Elephant' alone, there can be heard; an attention to gated guitar effects, a steady build up of sound, and even a beautifully executed horn section before the guitars kick into full gear. Also, with songs topping the eight minute mark, Bison is certainly not a band that's content with releasing mediocre, or half-baked material.

While the shorter songs still keep the ball-breaking heaviness alive, the album meets it's winning streak with the more involved pieces; specifically 'Stressed Elephant,' and the epic closer 'Wendigo Pt. III.' The latter of these songs is a continuation of a song suite that began on 'Quiet Earth,' and those who are familiar with the debut may agree with me that the first two parts of the 'Wendigo' saga were among the most memorable moments of the debut. Not only does the track work well to conclude an album in which the preceding six tracks set the bar high, but its a remarkable way to apparently wrap up the epic.

With song titles like 'Two Day Booze,' you can be damned sure that 'Dark Ages' will not be sharing the CD shelf with alot of the other pretentious, daiquiri-sipping bands that have plagued the heavy metal scene lately. While the album maintains alot of the same tones and general sounds throughout, each song offers something unique. Whether it be a bluesy acoustic introduction, a horn section or even the sort of atmospherics that brought bands like Neurosis up the ranks, Bison will be sure to surprise, and a band that is certain to go on to great things in the coming years.