San Francisco avant-garde black-metal band Ludicra commanded a cult following for years, and left a hole in the Bay Area when they disbanded in 2011. Now, Ludicra vocalist Laurie Shanaman and guitarist/vocalist Christy Cather have joined forces again in Ails, an all-new band that also features members of Abrupt, 2804, Phantom Limbs and others.
Ails' debut album, The Unraveling, features some elements from Ludicra's earlier music, however, it holds its own as a totally distinct project. It takes black metal back to a place of crushing rawness, thanks in large part to Shanaman's furious and driven vocals. The riffs slow down without losing any power, creating space in songs like "Dead Metaphors" that offer moments of breathing room before crashing back into focus. The album dips deeper into the textures of their riffs, "Any Spark of Life" weaving the guitar work into a whirlpool of sound before igniting, returning to its initial starting point later on. It's a new breakthrough in extreme metal, another addition to the Bay Area's pantheon of black-metal greats.
Hear The Unraveling in full above, and pre-order the album from The Flenser ahead of its April 20th release.
