Wolvhammer, a quartet hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has always specialized in bringing the noise in grisly sludge metal. In the band's second full-length record in 2011 entitled "The Obsidian Plains," however, this specialization seemed to have reached its peak. Although, as a full-length feature, it wields only seven tracks under ten minutes each, they all pack their own raw and venomous punches that listeners will not be forgetting soon enough. Raunchy guitars, highly aggressive and echoing drum play, and ear-shredding black metal vocals conglomerate to devastate listeners with the band's metallic onslaught. The rawness of black metal, the heaviness of sludge metal, and the rowdiness of crust all collide together and create a terrifyingly boisterous soundtrack. Each song pummels the listener without fail, and, as a whole, "The Obsidian Plains" is a fine release fans of raw and brutal metal will not want to miss.
