Almost a century ago I was born in North Carolina so I'm always especially excited if not proud when I see a metal band hailing from the Tarheel state . . . as if I personally had anything to do with it. Lately there seems to be a metric fuckton of metal streaming out of my home state, especially the Ashville and Charolotte areas. And again, you're welcome. Today we'll be looking into COSMIC REAPER with their latest release, "Bleed the Wicked, Drown the Damned." This is the band's second full-length album, their fourth release including EPs. It was issued September 26, 2025 via the venerable Heavy Psych Sounds. It's heavy and dark and well worth a listen.

The grimly poetic titled "Bleed the Wicked, Drown the Damned" weighs in with eight tracks and over 43 minutes of runtime. No intros or outros or interludes, just eight fat tracks dripping with sludge, lead, and evil. For returning fans, you'll note the band has trimmed down to a lineup of four instead of the previously top-heavy five. The riffage is fuzzy but not quite stoner; vocals are clean with a cosmic/ethereal tinge; and the tempo moves at a decidedly Doom pace.

Standout tracks include the opener, "Hammer," which taps into the witch hunter vibe of the entire album. "Hammer" stalks with boots of lead that Indonesia could hear coming. This is a menacing track that somehow manages to veer into a trippy cosmic space before trudging right back out into the swamp before it ends. "Bloodfeather" is another of my favorites with long striding riffs and ghostly vocals. "Dwelling," maybe the most distinctive track, also lands on my list. This one has a bluesy, weird desert vibe. The last quarter of the album shifts into the surreal with odd drum effects that sound like they were blanketed in sand and evil intent. Last on my list is "Bones." About half-way through, this track submits to blackhole gravity and rips us all into the inescapable void.

Not sure what's happening in North Carolina. It's like it's become a vortex of underground metal, a fact their tourist board should definitely consider adding to their next marketing campaign. As for COSMIC REAPER, they seemed to have stomped out a trail of infernal psych doom with "Bleed the Wicked, Drown the Damned." I encourage all to check it out. Bring your own towel.