Although it doesn't get much attention these days, New York has a long history of birthing high quality heavy metal bands. The Empire State is responsible for spawning such genre luminaries as Manowar, Type O Negative, Cannibal Corpse, and Immolation as well as smaller, but equally impressive, bands like Tombs, Made Out of Babies, and Yellow Eyes. One of the newer additions to New York's stable of heavy hitters is Albany's HUSH., and it's Metal Injection's distinct pleasure to premiere an exclusive stream of the band's debut album Unexist.
Although HUSH. is comprised of members of crust (From Ashes Rise), post-punk (Self Defense Family), and metal/hardcore hybrid (Endicott) bands, the group is more than the sum of its parts. There are definite shades of atmospheric post-punk in "Eater of All Things" and " Infinite Recursion", and the guitar and bass tone throughout the album is pleasingly crusty; however, these are only aspects of the whole. Unexist is, at its heart, a blast of apocalyptic sludge in the vein of Neurosis. Don't write these guys off as clones, though. HUSH. have a distinct sound and are much more raw and angry than their Californian predecessors. Where Scott Kelly's voice can frequently sound world-weary, Charles Cure's is full of rage. Additionally, the grimy tone of the music stands in sharp contrast to Neurosis's more polished sound. But don't take my word for it, HUSH. do a great job asserting their otherness right from the start of Unexist. The album opening track "Solus" works as a sonic thesis statement that prepares listeners for what's to come.
That's enough jibber jabber, though. Now it's time to throw on your best set of headphones, crank up your stereo, and fire 50 minutes of lumbering rage directly into your brain. Fortunately, if you like what you hear, you won't have to wait long to get your grubby little mitts on some physical media. Unexist will be released next Tuesday June 24th.
