The Ditch and The Delta - The Ditch and The Delta

The Ditch and The Delta - The Ditch and The Delta

Sludgelord Records - April 2020

Sludge, Noise, Progressive, Post-Metal, Doom

Rated: ****

Come April, Salt Lake City's sludge outfit The Ditch and The Delta will bring their self-titled and second full-length to bear, and it's a monster. The trio combine harsh, grinding sludge with a heady mix of post-metal, noise, and prog to create a filthy sound as crushing as it is complex. There's no hand holding here either, as opener "Maim" bursts out with throaty screams, grimy low end, and titanic drums, a highlight of the band's sound. Between the ground-shaking bass drum, head spinning rolls, and twisting rhythms, the drumming is the second coming of Dale Crover, and is a driving force behind The Ditch and The Delta's unrelenting attack. Winding, discordant guitar occasionally pierces the sludge in angular stabs, particularly in cut "Aesthetics of Failure", whose violently grinding riffs bring the title's downtrodden feel to life. The following track "Molt" is an album highlight, beginning with a screeching eastern melody before shifting into an all-out avalanche of lightning fast drum fills and divebomb guitar that would make Torche proud. "Bleed the Sun" brings even more suprises, with a brilliant use of off-kilter dual vocals that feel dangerously unpredictable, and a post-metal wash to slowly end the assault. The Ditch and The Delta's latest is a showcase for melding more than a few styles into an individual sound that's both varied and cohesive, and the resulting seven tracks create an intricate experience that's jarringly heavy.

(Written by Shastabeast)

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