BitterJalapeno Released by Glue Man Records in January 2021, “Guide Me Holy Ararat” is the debut album by New England based sludge metal trio Sevan. Lyrically speaking, the theme of the album is based on the subject of genocide.

The album opener, “Bleeding Crescent” starts with some chilled clean guitarwork and slow rumbling drums backed up by atmospheric vocals. The heaviness soon rears it’s head and when it does, it becomes abundantly clear that Neurosis have been a massive influence on the band – slow, thick and dissonant chords dripping in oily sludge with aggressive vocals pouring out in an angry fashion.

The remainder of the album continues in the above style with a few exceptions. For example, softer vocals feature in the track “Eetch” and demonstrate something of a chanting nature. The album reaches its melodic peak in the closing minutes of “Goddess” before we reach my personal highlight of the album in the form of the final track “Kef” which boasts some beautifully piercing guitar harmonics as it draws the album to a close.

There may be nothing musically groundbreaking here or even anything particularly innovative to be heard but nevertheless, “Guide Me Holy Ararat” is a pretty strong debut album from Sevan and I’m pleased to still see new bands coming out who continue to hold the noble torch of sludge metal high in hand.