I discovered SORXE randomly. Once I saw that this Arizona sludge metal outfit were playing shows with some of the most exciting contemporary artists in U.S. metal like NEUROSIS, THE BODY, AUTHOR & PUNISHER, and COUGH, it seemed like the band commanded my attention to work alongside these giant of American hard rock and metal, even if I still can't figure out how to pronounce the band's name.

The album's opening track, "Steamroller", comes out of the gate stronger than a diesel-engine eighteen-wheel truck plowing through a length of tissue paper. This song practically possesses everything you could ever want from a post-doom metal band; suicidal levels of low-tuned guitars and bass, expressive and destructive drums, gritty harsh vocals and moving clean singing. This is how to start off an album! This is where SORXE shows that they know where the sweet spot is for the audience and they know just how hard to hit it!

But things ultimately begin to decay into a more experimental and dissociating direction with "Her majesty". There's a part of the song that goes into a spacey, jazz-flavored jam in which the guitar leads sound lost and out-of-place. It sounds like this section was played on the spot and there was no real way to cover up the impromptu madness of this song. The bass and drums cover up for the guitar playing until the rhythm verses kick back in again.

The instrumental track "Smoke Signals" goes back into the trend of punishingly heavy riffs and catchy melodies that really make this band stick out. By this point you can get a good sense that the band draws influences from bands like MASTODON, CULT OF LUNA and ISIS.

There is an emotional weight that accompanies the sonic ferocity of the instruments in SORXE. The slow and somber movements in the songs that drizzle themselves on top of the bedrock sediments like thick, viscous tree sap. Although these moments can be experimental and dream-like, they are not bright or colorful sounds. There's always something sad or angst-ridden or bleak about these parts songs like this and songs like "Make It So" and the album's title track, "Surrounded By Shadows".

I think that this album from SORXE, certainly didn't wow me but the band has a whole lot of potential and a lot of that can certainly be found on "Surrounded By Shadows". There are several really enjoyable moments on this album that will really wet your whistle if you're down to hear something heavy and aggressive.<