Aglo "Build Fear" Through Deep Space Death Sludge (Early Album Stream)
As two factions allied through a taste for odorous grooves and belligerent surliness, death metal and sludge share a razor-studded border that has a uniquely grimy appeal. Few disciples apply this combination to science fiction, but Aglo makes sure the muck only pulls listeners deeper into the subject matter. Creator Aaron Osborne (I Exist, Mental Cavity, Extortion) dove deep into Star Trek to help fuel the flames stoked by earlier EPs into a debut record, but his deep love of Southern sludge metal also plays a part on the resulting Build Fear. To put it briefly, it feels like a filthed-up space western with murderous alien worlds and dingy starships stocked with surly operators. Nasty drum fills hit like hastily-aimed laser barrages replete with collateral damage, and each riff cuts with a snarling edge ready to hew through the staunchest hull.
There's perhaps no better indication that listeners have departed from the realms of standard death/doom than drummer Colin Young (Twitching Tongues, Gods Hate, DeadBody)'s deployment of the fabled cowbell (I'd also take more in the future -- always!) but the sheer amount of groove behind Osborne's serpentine riffs is an equally strong signal. These titanic riffs are song-driving monoliths that could maybe stand on their own but become so much more with Young's measured accentuation -- by which I mean crushing snare hits and ass-beating cymbal work. There aren't nested layers of orchestration to grapple with here, just riff and drum interplay with ominous vocals and the occasional sample, so let Aglo breach your imagination and experience the sci-fi-sludge singularity.
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Aaron adds:
I started working on the ideas for ‘Build Fear’ pretty much as I finished off the recording for my last EP ‘Into The Maze’. I really liked where the ideas were progressing and after getting the mixes back from Taylor for that I talked to him about doing a full LP together in the future and he was really keen to do it which was sick. I cracked into a couple months of hard Star Trek viewing and deep Crowbar listening and got over to LA to get the record done. My mate Colin was kind enough to play drums for it on me, and he killed it, much better than what I could have put together and really makes the album complete I think! I’m really pleased with the overall end result, and look forward to getting out to play some shows off the back of it.
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Build Fear releases November 10th via Brilliant Emperor.
