Indian – Guiltless (2011) [Relapse] // Grade: A

Here I was, thinking to myself that there needed to be an album in 2011 that gave Richmond-based Cough a run for their money. A few hours later and I came across the new album from Chicago-based Indian. This is one of the first 2011 albums that I see making through the metal masses and sticking around for years to come. As their first album on Relapse and forth in their collection, Guiltless delivers on all fronts.

The guys have come a long way since their 2008 album, Slights and Abuse / The Sycophant. Their sound is bigger and the production kicks ass. Not to mention the anger that was evident in Slights and Abuse / The Sycophant has been sharpened and honed for a much more impactful delivery. The twisted vocal stylings of Dylan O’Toole bring their sound to new, emotional lows in ways that I can’t even come close to describing. While the wretched sounds are heavy, they do lack that refinement that other doom acts posses after years of playing. Don’t look to Guiltless for a modern-day Burning Witch or Electric Wizard, these guys have a different tinge to their music.

As if the song titles weren’t enough of an insight into the journey you’re about to embark on, the first few notes will hammer it home. “No Grace” is a bitch of a song. Staggering drums, shrill vocals and heavy riffs open up Guiltless and the fun doesn’t stop until the last track, “Benality”. One of my favorite qualities of Guiltless is the song lengths. With tracks breaking that delicate 8-minute mark, the album plays through easily. “The Fate Before Fate” continues where the opener left off with more focus on percussions and vocals. Here’s where a bit of mid-90′s hardcore comes in. Don’t worry, it’s in a good way. Imagine the lost side-project of Cave In.

The title track “Guiltless” is the first to pop the 8-minute cherry. You can tell from the onset that it’s a long and heavy one. Pure dementia! I fucking love it! Next up is a bit of much-needed tempo with “Guilty”. Around this point in Guiltless, you’ve started to feel the compression. Not so much with the mastering of the album but in the shear weight of its presence. “The End of Truth” and “Supplicants” are two excellent tracks that both compliment the ender, “Benality”, another hellishly-long doom fest! Man, what an album. With 2011 already 1/4 of the way through, it’s nice to see some Grade A metal coming through the US. Indian is one beast to watch out for. I’ve heard good things about their live shows so catch them live if you can.

- Prolly