Stormcrow / Laudanum

Stormcrow and Laudanum, two bands from Oakland, California (the same city that birthed Neurosis and was home to Dystopia, Brainoil, and Asunder), approach heavy music from different angles with equally devastating results. 
 
Stormcrow has been fairly prolific over the last few years, releasing split records with Mass Grave, Skaven, and Sanctum. During this time the band has built a reputation as the heaviest and most epic metallic crust band since the mighty Bolt Thrower. Here, they deliver two more masterpieces of skullcrushing power, adding elements of doom and Swedish death metal into their sound--easily their best songs yet. 
 
Laudanum released their largely overlooked debut, The Apotheker, back in 2004 and a 7-inch in 2007. They come from a much more doomed spectrum, as though The Melvins and Swans had been left to rot in some dank Oakland industrial zone. Indeed, Laudanum's sound is outright industrial-influenced noise interspersed with their gristled doom riffage. Their two tracks on Sacred Death anticipate their forthcoming full-length, The Coronation, due on 20 Buck Spin later this year.