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Hailing from the windy city of Chicago are Lord Mantis, a super group of sorts that features members of  Indian, the avant black metal outfit Avichi and an ex-member of Nachtmystium.  However, don’t let the band name associations fool you. This is pure, unadulterated and ugly as fuck  music that’s totally devoted to one task and one task alone: to smash your skull in repeatedly with a sledgehammer.

At times, it’s a bit difficult to pin down exactly where Lord Mantis are on the metal genre spectrum.  Though they are obviously influenced by bands such as Isis and Neurosis,  all the signature elements of that post-metal/rock ebb and flow are gone: what’s left is a slab of  solid downtuned hatred and disgust that is much similar in sound to the likes of Cavity or Eyehategod.   However, an almost flawless   formula such as this comes with some  minor drawbacks. After being pummeled to near death in the tar black sludge for so long, even seasoned fans of the genre are going to need a chance to come up for air.  Unfortunately, Spawning The Nephilim does not give the listener this opportunity.  It is a rather difficult album to digest at first: newcomers to the world of sludge metal may want to hold off on this one for awhile. However, it seems the band has taken this issue into account by writing such a short record. With only seven tracks, this album certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome.

An appropriate but muddy at times production rounds everything out.  With such a strong debut album, it is hopeful that Lord Mantis will be more than just a one time side project though it does seem the members full time bands are more of a priority at the time.   The world needs more metal like this.  

Review byBaroness