Like most metalheads, I love a good guitar solo. No matter whether it’s death, black, progressive, post, sludge or folk, I’d call it a hallmark of the genre.
What I dislike is self-indulgent playing that serves only to showcase a musician’s technical ability while completely disregarding songwriting. Yes, I get that you’re a very talented musician, and yes, I’d love to be able to play like you, but your 31/7 three-minute blistering guitar solo really isn’t that interesting to listen to. So needless to say, when I discover a band like Sioux, who seamlessly blend technicality, songwriting and aggression, I am all ears.
Sioux are what I’d describe as a progressive – maybe even psychedelic – sludge metal band, hailing from Portland, Oregon. On March 8, they independently released their sophomore album, The One and the Many.
The One and the Many greets the listener with what can only be described as an earthshaking chord-based riff in “Let in the Night”, which leads into a healthy serve of palm-muted metal riffing. This is soon met with monstrous bellows that are the result of a three-way between Scott Kelly, John Baizley and Neil Fallon. The album also features a few sections with clean singing. While subdued, these wouldn’t be out of place on Mastodon’s latest, The Hunter. In particular, “Ad Astra” has some wonderful harmonies and fantastic interplay between clean singing and the band’s more aggressive style of vocals.
Consisting of six immense, well-rounded tracks, it is very hard to pick a favourite. “Ad Astra” is certainly notable, and so is the album’s title track which, in one of the album’s more restrained moments, commences with spacey swirling riffs that would not be out of place on an Isis album, matched by a dreamy xylophone. But these comparatively quiet moments are fleeting in the track’s warpath to its monster conclusion. In its build, the song features some phenomenal solos that while not blistering, seamlessly link the various movements and ultimately sound awesome without becoming self-indulgent.
The album barely pushes mid-tempo until the culmination of “Scapegoat”, its final song, which crawls along like a bulldozer leaving nothing in its path. Or some sort of battle turtle, with a mortar strapped to its shell. But there’s enough variation in tempo, dynamic and feel so the album never drags.
Comparisons to Mastodon and Baroness’s earlier works are inevitable, and The One and The Many will definitely sate the appetite of those disappointed by the two bands’ recent more restrained, rock-based releases. The One and the Many doesn’t have the hooks or even pop-sensibility you might find in a Baroness or Kylesa song, but that doesn’t stop the album from being accessible. And despite the odd time signatures, rhythms and polyrhythmic drumming, the album’s infectious riffs had me constantly bobbing my head along.
Aside from Sioux’s technical ability, the band’s songwriting prowess is clearly evident on The One and the Many. Dynamics are used to great effect, either through immense builds as featured in the title track and “Scapegoat” or quiet sections as in “Let the Night In”, which make the remainder of the song seem all that more heavy. The twisting song structures never fail to entrance and no riff seems to outstay its welcome. At under half an hour, the album doesn’t either. In fact, it’s pretty good motivation to give it another spin. And by the time “Scapegoat” finishes, I’m definitely ready to start again.
Sioux’s The One and the Many is definitely a great addition to the sludge metal genre. The One and the Many is available to stream and purchase on their Bandcamp.
