COBALT

You better sit your ass down and hold on, especially if you are unfamiliar with the black metal battle cruiser that is Colorado's COBALT. The duo of Erik Wunder and Phil McSorley have assembled a 70-minute monolith of war metal battery and black metal viciousness, interrupted only for the occasional atmospheric piece. It's a long, harrowing journey, so buckle up tight.

Folks that spend any amount of time in extreme metal circles are often heard making comments about a band's arsenal of riffs; sometimes it's true, but often it is little more than hyperbole. On "Eater of Birds", you can say it and mean it. The riffs on this nasty bastard are downright lethal, the long tracks filled to the brim with axe swinging that cuts to the bone. It is the primary component in songs that move from blasting mayhem to locomotive grooves to sections of pure sonic bliss, whether it be smoldering chords or the kind of creepy, string-bending buzz that seems to suck all the oxygen out of a room. The drumming? It is stupendous as well. Sure, there is plenty of war metal blasting, but there is also plenty of texture and coloration, not to mention a fair amount of tribal beats; each snare hit and kick-drum punch makes it feel as though the planet may split in half. Most surprising is how such marathon song lengths can be kept so interesting. Whether launching into hyper speed mode or turning on a dime into a controlled slow burn, the effect is always attention grabbing.

In addition to the black metal shrapnel blasts, "Eater of Birds" also includes moments of acoustic quietude, ominous ethereality, and hypnotic dread. Tracks like "Ritual of Fire" (all three of them) and the unearthly "Androids, Automatons and Nihilists" provide breaks at just the right points. The latter track, as well as the tribal electric float and metallic stomp of "Invincible Sun", include a guest appearance from Jarboe (ex-SWANS),adding even more depth to the affair.

Beyond the ferocity of attack and compositional craftsmanship, the production of Dave Otero is outstanding. And I wouldn't expect any less from a guy that has given such a sonic kick in the pants to bands like CEPHALIC CARNAGE and THROCULT. The mix is deliciously crisp and the drum sound is earth shaking; a perfect match for a batch of tunes rife with scything riffs and rhythms that are as tight as they are explosive.

In simplest terms, "Eater of Birds" is a big, bad-ass black metal album with powerful riffs, punishing tempos, and a frightful presence. Make every effort to buy this album. You will not be disappointed.