double LP housed in a thick gatefold sleeve. Another band with the ability to topple conventions and prove the relative dysfunction of the means by which we label extreme music today, Swiss Kruger have concocted a fourth album which not only trumps all previous outings, but actually creates a refreshing and unique space within the genres of sludge, groove metal and postcore. Bands that might represent the best comparisons for Kruger would be the infamous Mastodon and the largely defunct New York artcore magnates Snapcase, but this is largely in the vocals of Reno and the means by which they flood their tracks with these churning, post-core grooves. However, the loud blasts of bass guitar and the thickness of the riffing patterns are this bands selling points, and they possess little of the jamming tendencies of Mastodon. So a European Snapcase, or a sped up and pissed off Neurosis of Fugazi would be the closest you can think of, with perhaps an inkling of similarity to another, newer act like Tombs (though not as dreamy). If we were to shave it down to a single genre, then an argument could be made that Kruger have to their credit one of the best, brightest sounding albums in all of the Sludge sect. You can hear everything, and combined, the three string bearers exude quite a force, both melodic and pummeling.