Thou
Summit
Label – TBD
Release date – TBD

Louisiana’s contribution to metal has unquestionably been doom. And not the stately, mournful, European variety, but the sludgy, sludgy, Black-Sabbath-queasy-and-dopesick-in-a-corner brand of doom that perfectly compliments that of a state known for swamps, humidity, and decades of political corruption. One could almost call it bluesy, were it not so righteously dragged through the mud and set on fire. The state’s past has graced us with such titans as the blackened sludge grind doom et cetera of Soilent Green; old school supergroup Down; and the ugly, violent yet still incredibly tangible sludge forefathers Eyehategod. But Louisiana’s best doom torch wielders are upstarts Thou, an insanely prolific band that in their relatively short period of time have managed to cover a broad spectrum of doom. Their upcoming third full length – Summit – will no doubt continue their journey to the dark corners of the soul, those most melancholy, filthy, and angry.

Hyperbole aside, Thou are pretty fucking awesome. Their last full length, Peasant, fiddled with melody, albeit buried deep in a foot-deep layer of sludge. In their softest and most nimble moments, they reach post-rock and post-metal moments of expansive beauty. But perhaps this is noteworthy because the band are capable of a ridiculous ugliness. On their considerable spread of EPs and splits, they display an almost unreasonable amount of bile and vitriol, whether it be a series of panoramic doom riffs or slowed down discordant hardcore chunkiness, all poisonously frosted by vocalist Bryan Funck’s throat-stripping screaming. With lyrics based in societal disgust (from “Don’t Vote”’s insistence that “Every four years the two-headed monster rises from its pit, and we have a choice between this head and that” or “The Work Ethic Myth” declaring “We are the accomplice class… spineless bastards all) and personal turmoil with almost hilariously evocative song titles (My favorite? “The Bleeding Genitals of Every Rapist Hang Bleeding From These Trees,” which also happens to be an awesome song), the band aren’t just another collection of latchkey mall kids who got bored with Lamb of God and stumbled on some Acid Bath albums. Thou are serious, and seriously fucked up.

Of course, what’s Summit going to sound like? Both Tyrant and Peasant, Thou’s first two full lengths, explored the band’s melodic and mature leanings. But their EPs and splits have possessed a dirty ferocity that it’d be a shame to shrug off. But whether they’re playing mean or slightly-less-mean, the band’s grimy-yet-soulful sound insures something great will most likely rear its head on Summit. Down have a new record coming out this year and rumor has it so may Eyehategod. But in just five short years, Thou have proven themselves worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as those guys. With an already-daunting discography (the uninitiated may want to start with their Malfeasance-Retribution EP or their split with Mohoram Atta, then move on to one of the full lengths), they’re not just a band to watch out for, but one to anticipate.

-SO