“The bulb that burns the brightest be the flame that governs life.”
The sludge metal formula of the early-mid 2000s is one that finds itself sorely missed by myself and many others. The humble beginnings of now acclaimed and established acts such as Mastodon and Baroness were so pleasantly impressive that I can’t help but wonder just how these groups might sound in the present had they remained faithful to this harsh and aggressive yet noodly and progressive dichotomy. Represented by classic records such as Mastodon’s Remission and Leviathan, and the color-coded Red and Blue full-lengths from Baroness, this was a sound that, while addictive, was not known for its longevity, as both groups would go full throttle with their noodling, progressive intricacies at the dawn of the 2010s.
Enter Trudger, a UK death metal-infused sludge group that sought not only to revive this niche movement but enhance its aggressive aspects further, bringing forth elements of brutal death metal to the sonic table. After a brief EP in 2012 and the follow-up debut LP Dormiveglia surfaced in 2014, Trudger entered an indefinite hiatus that had its niche but loyal fanbase questioning the future of the quartet. 11 years in the making, the long-awaited Void Quest is now upon us, and it is every bit as ferocious and captivating in its Leviathan-esque approach to death-infused sludge as its now 11-year-old predecessor.
“Merciless Sabre” is the ideal opening track for Void Quest, capturing every element of the band’s signature sludge metal style. Crushing, dissonant riffs give way to melodic passages, while thunderous vocals roar with expected intensity. “Occupied Frequency” amplifies the harsher, more aggressive side of Trudger’s sound within a much more compact two-and-a-half-minute runtime, accelerating the pace with a hardcore-driven tempo across its opening minute, before transitioning into a more dynamic second half that demonstrates Trudger’s ability to keep things refreshing on the fly. This notion remains intact as “Illusory Path” leans more into the progressive side of things, focusing more on mid-range guitar passages, while the low end is largely restrained.
Singles “Tethered System” and “God Rest” are aptly sequenced together as they enforce much of the same ideology, where the former continues down the prog-trodden path presented on “Illusory Path”, while the latter, “God Rest”, is a speedier death metal-oriented cut that functions as a direct contrast. Furthermore, while the released singles are undeniably strong, it’s refreshing that Trudger held back on revealing more of Void Quest, as the LP contains arguably even stronger tracks, some of which may have been mentioned already.
“Battle Hardened” is runner-up and probably my favorite track on the album. Unapologetically heavy grooves grace the one-minute mark, while the midsection sports some of the most guttural vocal segments on the LP. “Wind Cleaver” is another rager just shy of the three-minute mark that complements the prior track nicely with its continued aggression before “Sleep Purge” leans back into prog-adjacent territory. Psychedelic guitar leads ring out across the entirety of this cut, making for a melodic penultimate track that segues nicely into the closer “Bile Elixir”. While not disserviceable by any means, I had hoped for a slightly more ambitious payoff, as this track remains firmly in familiar territory. However, this is a fleeting complaint, as “Bile Elixir”, while familiar, is well-rounded and a strong summary for Void Quest.
Among a sea of sludge metal groups that have traded their roots for a more psychedelic and prog-driven sound, rooted in 70s and 80s intricacies, Trudger are a welcome reminder of where it all originated. It seems fitting, then, that Void Quest should arrive so soon after the untimely passing of the legendary Brent Hinds, whose riffs and songwriting remain as influential as ever on the current generation of heavy music. But above all else, it is reassuring to know that Trudger are back and better than ever. Let’s hope the next outing won’t take a decade.
8/10
Void Quest releases tomorrow via Floodlit Recordings. Pre-orders can be found here.