It's cold as fuck right now in Chicago and that's got me feeling pretty good. I'm one of the few freaks in this city (and possibly the world) who prefers the winter months to their sweltery sibling seasons. Not because I'm one of those huge, remarkably insulated individuals who can (and do) wear cargo shorts year-round and loves lauding it over their friends, neighbors, and spouses. Just the opposite in fact. I am a thin man and cold air cut through me like a cheese grater through cheddar. No, I like winter because winter is brutal and inhospitable. And like with most unpleasant things, I'm diluted enough to believe that enduring them builds character and spiritual fortitude. That's right, I like winter because it helps me appreciate the daily struggle of survival more. Speaking of brutal stuff I appreciate, this evening I've been enjoying Portland sludge metal band Norska and their 2017 album
Too Many Winters. The group performs thundering, shout-vocal prog and bad-trip stoner rock in the vein of early Mastodon, interspersed with doomy driving grooves and epic clean singing sections. Aaron Rieseberg, bassist for respected doom metallers Yob, plays in the band along with his older brother Dustin, and it's no surprise that these two share blood, because it's clear they share one heart and are in total sync when it comes to the dark and viscerally dramatic vibe of
Too Many Winters. The album is a marked improvement over their debut, boasting tighter instrumentation and generally more focused compositions. For example, I really like to patient reveal and gradual focus of Samhain” which starts out like a crushing Mastodon track, only to slowly transform into gothic, medieval folk balladry. Other highlights include, "Too Many Winters” where driving, gooey riffs and cavernous vocals give way to a turbid sea of winding, intersecting guitars and chilly distortion, “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” which is a slow-burning, stoner rock odyssey, and “Fire Patience Backbone” which will harden your flesh to ice in a blizzardy hurricane of shout vocals and purposive riffs. Believe me when I say, that I can't get enough of
Too Many Winters.
Too Many Winters is out via Brutal Panda.
