I must confess I have limited information on this band. From what I could find they hail from Italy and consider themselves a Stoner/Sludge super-group of sorts. I have no idea what band they are from but they have release one album prior to this EP. They have toured with the likes of CROWBAR and CHURCH OF MISERY. This band has a level of sophistication and tightness, as well as production that stands up next to heavy hitters in the scene.

The first track "Rotting Beauty Contest" brings to mind the finest moments of CARCASS in their Rot n Roll phase filtered through downtuned Stoner/Sludge guitar riffs. From the first riff I was excited to see what this EP held for me next. "Bleeding Ground" is up next and it follows a similar path. Some of the vocals remind me of Phil Anselmo in Down. The DOWN/CROWBAR vibe is even more apparent on "Der Titan." That song is one of the highlights of this EP. I was afraid of how the cover of "Sharp Dressed Man" was going to work but the Italian Sludge beasts have done it justice with never losing the bands sludgy groove. It's up there with CARCASS' "Keep on Rotting in the Free World" for me.

The final track of this EP, "Mudrising Terror", is fucking killer. DOWN style riffing and Death Metal style vocals that can't be denied! Let's hope this EP doesn't take as long to follow up as their first album. HELL OBELISCO could become a front-runner in the genre giving the right timing and opportunity. This so far is one of my favorite albums of the year. Get off your ass and go to their Bandcamp to pick it up now!