There’s no need for puritanism in Heavy Metal as a whole musical genre, and not even in its subgenres. Everyone has his/hears particular preferences when dealing with music, but some bands are able to create surprising works out of your comfort zones. Bands that are trying to create something different from the usual, and such thing earns them some points, as in the case of the New Zealand sext DEMONS OF NOON. The band is a self-proclaimed Sludge Metal act, but what’s heard on “Death Machine” is far to be something puritan, for it mixes the harsh and d=crude approach of the genre with influences inherited from Gothic Doom Metal and Doom Metal (especially due some melodic moments with female vocals).

It’s filthy and noisy, but with a different and personal flavor in in the of the usual on Sludge Metal trench, so it’s a trial for many Metalheads who trust on formulas. For those into the different, it’s a delight! Recorded by Tom Anderson at North-Western Recorders, the album was mixed by mixed by James Goldsmith, and mastered by James Plotkin. The option was to do something that could fit on the model that’s usual for Sludge Metal acts (filthy and distorted), but with some defined appeal. It could have a better final result, but’s not as bad as one can think. And the artwork of Scott Satherley for the cover is really very good.

Songs as “Crushing Sun” (very shifts contrasts between nasty distorted Sludge Metal elements with Doom Metal melodic ambiences, with Gothic-like male tunes and tender female voices contrasting), “Coward” (very good contrasts between noisy Sludge moments and elegant Doom parts, with very good guitar riffs), “Succession” (an oppressive song with disturbing parts, and with a monochromatic work of bass guitar and drums on the heavy rhythms), “Sphere of Peace” (again contrasts between crude and elegant moments are heard), and “Torched and Burned” depicts that this sextet is trying to work things on their own, without having compromised anything that isn’t their own ideas.

DEMONS OF NOON shows a good work on “Death Machine”, so let’s hope they can show more of their personality in the near future.