BLACK TUSK
BLACK TUSK “The Way Forward”
By Dr. Abner Mality
It’s been so long that I’ve heard BLACK TUSK that I forgot what they actually sounded like. Maybe that says something right there. Anyway, I look at “The Way Forward” as a blank slate and a new start for this Georgia band. They were part of the big sludge metal push of the early 2000’s along with WEEDEATER, BARONESS, SOUR VEIN and so many more. What is BLACK TUSK 2024 like?
Meaner than a wildcat with hemorrhoids and a bad case of diarrhea, I would say. This record doesn’t mess around at all and charges at you like a maddened boar with “Out of Grasp”. This isn’t the clean “progressive” kind of sludge at all, but something dirty and ill-mannered. In fact, the punk approach is very apparent here, as the songs are short, sharp and violent. Almost everything here is under four minutes and that works great. Man, these guys dredge up some powerful riffs from the Georgia swamps. “Harness” (The Alchemist), “Dance On Your Grave” and “Lift Yourself” have got massive slabs of sludge/punk brutality coupled with angry vocals and noisy, squalling guitar solos. This is stripped right to the bone.
The band does indulge in some more expansive sounds, especially in the second half of the album. “Oceans of Obsidian” is a tense, moody instrumental and “Flee From Dawn” has a bit more of that semi-proggy BARONESS touch. Those tendencies are full blown in the concluding title track, which features more restrained acoustics and vocals (though there are still thick and heavy parts). On the whole, this is an album where aggressive sludge riffs prevail. I still can’t remember much of BLACK TUSK’s older work, but “The Way Forward” is an effort I won’t soon forget.