Imperium Simulacra

I picked up this CD after seeing Black Cobra open for Bongzilla in Oakland.

After listening to the CD, I realize that the live show hadn't given me a totally accurate impression of their sound. What struck me was that only two people were on stage, yet it sounded like there were additional instruments. I asked some people about it: "How does the guitarist play bass and lead at the same time?" Someone told me they use loops. I like this kind of experimentation. I was also told that their latest album is well-produced.

The drummer and guitarist were clearly adept performers. I don't think sludge/doom metal is really the best name for their style - this is much faster than Burning Witch or Graves at Sea. The singing is shouted, and the riffage is mathy. As I played the CD on the drive home, I immediately noticed the "good quality" recording and that the songs were clearer and easier to follow (this is generally true of CDs vs live performances, anyway, so not a dig here).

The guitars are bass-heavy and the drum mix covers the whole kit well. The vocals fit the songs and deliver some catchy lines, and are pretty uniform between songs. The shouting is always done at the same volume, and I'm not sure if it ever changes pitch. This isn't necessarily a shortcoming - it does have it's stylistic context. The album has a quite industrial vibe from it's cover art, lyrics, pace, and sound. Some similarities to Fear Factory in this regard.

The drums make a lot of use of the toms. They're not just playing cliche rock beats. The rhythms here are mathy and challenging. The guitars are simple enough that the song isn't overloaded with countermelody, but the riffs are still catchy.

There are some segments which are unarguably "doom", but for the rest, the intensity ranges from bluesy metal to full-on blast beats. It does stay pretty fast, though, and might seem like thrash were not the song structures and drums so unconventional. Besides, having groove goes a long way with odd-time riffs.

Favorite track: "The Messenger" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cASW7BFWf6U