Hills Have Amps, The

Art Amiss brings us an eclectic mix of underground metal bands from Northern Arkansas. Clearly this is an area that metal fans have been overlooking for too long—this is the first time I’ve come across any of these names. Some gems, some duds, great combination overall. The doom and sludge-rock tracks are especially crucial for any heavy metal bar’s jukebox.

1. Sick and sludgy old school death metal owing a lot to Autopsy and Asphyx. Hits its stride but drags on a tad too long.
2. Accurately described as “drunken swamp rock”—think Eyehategod, Black Tusk, et al.
3. *Odd-metered syncopated thrash metal—Megadeth meets Melvins.
4. Amateur garage-fi black metal, trebly and forgettable, but brief.
5. “weirdo four track core” instrumental cassete-sounding, kind of black metal (instrumental) with some cool neoclassical harmonies
6. **AWESOME—massive, despairing, epic doom. Candlemass, Pagan Altar, Pilgrim come to mind.