From the Pacific Northwest (Portland, Oregon), comes the debut album from Black/Sludge/Post (or "Ugly" as they have labeled it) trio FLOOD PEAK. A style of music can sometimes be reflective of the area where the musicians live, as people draw inspiration from life experiences, and landscapes (think of how living in the bleak and industrial city of Birmingham England shaped the tough, doomy sound of BLACK SABBATH). Portland is known for rainy weather and forest landscapes, among other things. It used to be one of the best kept secrets in terms of a happy quality of life, but as I have understood recently, it is fast becoming a popular destination for people to move to. Let's get to the four track album to see what we have here.

"Precursor" is a seven-minute opening track. A slow fade-in leads to a depressing dirge, with a side of gut-wrenching depression. Dissonance is favored in the music, which turns even darker at times. The vocals are anguished pleas, and the genre blending of Sludge, Doom and Black Metal results in a suspenseful sound that threatens to turn your soul to utter blackness. "Scourge" is just under six minutes. The lumbering song sounds like the desolation of an endless landscape of grey, where you are doomed to wander alone for eternity...purgatory put to music. "Mire" is an eight minute beast. A murky and harrowing riff opens the song, with steady thuds of percussion. It settles into a bit of a quicker rhythm as the vocal laments join in. The sound drops off a bit after the half way mark, with solitary guitar and bass notes, before the charged riff joins back in.

"Veiled by Summoners" is a near-eleven minute closing song. If you weren't already in a depressive state from the previous tracks, this song might push you over the edge. Even in some of the more melancholic and softer passages there is still a feeling of being dejected and worthless. But there can be beauty in being alone and by yourself. Introverts like myself know this all too well. Genre labeling be damned, but I definitely have more of a Doom Metal feeling here, with elements of Black, Sludge and Post. I have heard a lot of dark music before, but this album travels to those recesses that are beyond the darkness. What you might discover there could open a portal to your true inner self, and you might not like what you see. If you are a fan of the darker side of music, definitely give this album your attention, because it is captivating.