A little bit of daring and an adventurous attitude can take a band very far. There’s plenty to be said for those that are able to deliver greatness all within the typical confines of a particular sound, but I think it’s safe to say that little can be compared to an act that goes for the throat, takes risks, and exudes an air of dominance no matter what others may think of the results. The underground is littered with bands graced with such gusto, and being in the right place at the right time can open your eyes to something truly magnificent. When I sat down tonight to check out the debut from Old Animals, I knew not what to expect, yet I found myself before something exceptional.

Not often enough do we see the realms of sludge and post metal conjoined in a substantial form, and it’s even less that we see the sound given the scope, nuance, and diversity that such a sound with high potential offers in many different directions. While many may look to the likes of Cult of Luna for inspiration in this sort of sound, it’s along the very floor of the underground that we’re met with acts that embody those concepts even if it’s only rarely. Old Animals came out of nowhere just a few weeks ago, and it’s already that I feel confident they’ve offered one of the most eclectic and engaging brands of this sound that I’ve heard in far too long. This goes far beyond each track having its own identity. Old Animals went out of its way to try seldom travelled avenues to make their sort of sludge metal far-reaching in its scope as the post metal also finds itself touching upon rock, synth, drone, and even experimental reaches to ensure this debut is as diverse as it is unapologetic in its intensity. Easily could this band have bit off far more than they could have chewed, yet practically every given minute of this record is delivered with finesse and power of a sort that’s undeniable in its captivating presence.

Whereas much of the competition can only hope to grasp at horizons they’ll never reach, Old Animals displays power, understanding, and grandeur the likes of which this corner of the underground sees tragically little of. This debut is utterly sensational from start to finish. Practically every moment of this entrance showcases the high potential that Old Animals wields with it being absolutely mandatory that we keep an eye on this eye lest we miss out on a potentially massive album in the hopefully near future.

LISTEN to “Old Animals” on Bandcamp here.

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