OLDE
Pilgrimage
SEEING RED/SLUDGELORD
Ontario’s stoner metallers prove overly hard going
Considering their adherence to the pounding rhythms of sludgy stoner/doom, it’s probably no surprise that Olde take a little while to get going. But once they hit their groove, the Canadians settle in for the slow burn of fuzzdrenched, downtuned blues riffs, coming off like a portmanteau of Electric Wizard and Orange Goblin tropes. Tar-like sludge provides a near-constant foundation and while satisfyingly oppressive at first – particularly given the band’s doom inclinations – the bog becomes increasingly stagnant and ultimately leaves the band relying on breakout solos to do all the heavy lifting and elevate the songwriting. It’s telling that guest saxophonist Nick Teehan provides the record with its standout moment, coming in with a howling solo towards the end of The Dead Hand that drags things out of the swamp, albeit all too briefly.