Sludge Metal bands focus their attention in something with slow tempos and the most unbearable sonority possible. Of course that these aspects don’t need to be respected in a rigid way if the musicians don’t want to do it. But today, to break rules is something rare, and more and more bands are damaged by paradigms that people insist to put as solid as a core of an atom (it demands a lot of energy to them to be torn apart, you all know). And the work of the Florida-based trio IRON BUDDHA becomes damage to such aspects, as can be heard on “Raze//Repose”.

Obviously that the paragraph above doesn’t leave spaces for doubts: the trio works on a Sludge Metal way, but with some touches of Stoner Rock and Groove Metal. Their musical expression is aggressive, nasty and brutal, with tons of weight contrasting with harsh screamed vocals, in a way that can damage eardrums if one doesn’t take care with the volume. Their music isn’t bad at all, with good arrangements and a solid instrumental that can remind people of some MASTODON moments. Musically, the trio can’t be said as the most creative of all acts into Sludge Metal, but aren’t into the flood of common bands as well. They’re good, but can do better than is shown on these songs.

The band fails on the sonority, because even with the help of Jonathan Nuñez on the recordings, mixing, and mastering, things are sounding rawer than the needed, filthy and nasty, and some tunes could be better worked (as can be heard on the drums). Obviously one can say that ‘Sludge Metal is in such way’, but this writer here prefers to think that a more polished work would improve their musical efforts (of course I dare to say such thing, I’m not afraid of defying rules).

The trio’s music is simple, aggressive and shows some good contrasts (as on “Samsara//Repose”), but again: they seem to be afraid to defy rules sometimes. Their musical value can be heard on moments as “Sansin//Echo Summit” (the screams are really nasty and lay on a dirty instrumental sheath), “Samsara//Repose” (the greasy guitar riffs reminds something of SEPULTURA on “Roots” days, but for such long time length, more variations would be welcome), and “Mara//Tongues” (pay attention to the weight imposed by bass guitar and drums, damaged by the choice of the tunes). I’m not saying that they’re cowards, but they seem to respect the limits imposed of Sludge Metal to give them a big ‘fuck you’ and work on a better way (a way that’s possible to the trio).

For now, “Raze//Repoze” is only for the addicted of Sludge Metal limits. But IRON BUDDHA has potential to break down the limits and impose new rules. It’s a matter of doing it.