When it comes to Doom and Sludge, one voice has always been held on high; that of former TROUBLE singer Eric Wagner who makes a triumphant return with new band BLACKFINGER. The good news is the voice is back, the other good news is this is no recycled version of his former band. "Blackfinger" is all new and the band brings it melodically, dark, power and light, and soulfully.

This is one smooth delivery of track after track of sweet hooks, master work on the guitars, and wickedly delightful drums and bass that glide into the power as needed and effortlessly slide into the background when the lighter moments present themselves. Wagner's talents are on full display on this album with deep from the soul lyrics coming at you with feel, rich tones, and impressive tempo fluctuations as only Wagner can do.

The first track, "I Am Jon", is outstanding by itself and takes the listener on a journey into the mind of 'Jon'. The band is tight and shows off their talents leaving you looking forward to the rest of the album. And the band delivers in spades. With the terms Sludge and Doom some people may get the idea of depressed music but I assure you, that doesn't hold up beyond maybe backing them into a genre description. They rock on the song "My Many Colored Days" which is a nice medium tempo show of power, wicked leads, and Wagner's range. These guys remind me of another of my favorite bands "Fireball Ministry" in sound and delivery.

Another outstanding display of the more aggressive sound the band can bring is on the track "All The Leaves Are Brown" which is another one with some ripping riff work, power chords, and expert mic work by Wagner. These guys can tell a tale while causing some serious headbanging. Period.

All in all, "Blackfinger" is one impressive debut that deserves space in your library and in your cars CD player.