EyeHateGod ‘Preaching The End-Time Message’ CD 2005
‘Preaching The End-Time Message’ is a Sludge fuelled compilation from those Southern wasters Eyehategod, which features alternative takes, rare & live tracks as well as 3 demo cuts of newer material! Don’t expect any big budget recordings on this release though, as it’s more of a stop gap release until their next studio album hits the shelves, although with Hurricane Katrina & Mike IX’s recent stint in jail, I guess only time will tell what the future has in store for these sludge crazed lunatics!
Anyway, back to the CD in question, it contains 10 tracks of their now legendary Groove riddled Sludge which has inspired numerous bands over the years, the sound quality does vary throughout the release, like the opening track, an alternative version of ‘Methamphetamine’ from the ‘Cry Now, Cry Later’ Comp, which, even by Eyehategod’s standard, is a little on the poor side (or should that be ‘raw’?), although that said, it does display a certain charm which only Eyehategod seem to able to get away with! The sound quality starts to pick up with the second track ‘Serving Time in the Middle of Nowhere’, quite an apt title considering Mike’s latest excursion, again this is another alternative recording which featured on the soundtrack to the cult movie ‘Gummo’. The next 3 tracks ‘Sabbath Jam’, an earth shattering tribute to Black Sabbath, ‘Age of Bootcamp’ and the more recent ‘I am the Gestapo’ are all taken from previously released split 7″s and again show this band as the Godfathers of the Stoner/Sludge genre with their awesome, heavy groove laden guitar’s & Mike’s instantly recognisable crazy vocal attack! The next 2 tracks ‘Jackass in the Will of God’ & ‘Revolution/Revelation’ are unreleased live cuts recorded at Club Quattro, Japan during 2002, the sound quality for these is on a par with the rest of the disc and gives the listener a great insight into their blistering live performances. The CD then comes to a close with 3 demo tracks which are planned to feature on their next full studio album, recorded on a four-track during March 2005, the sound does suffer a little, but then they don’t claim to be anything else and certainly gives you a good taster for things to come with their unique Heavy, Southern influenced Sludge which shows no signs whatsoever of letting up any time soon!
To conclude, ‘Preaching The End-Time Message’ is an interesting look back at their somewhat disjointed career, as well as giving us a fleeting glance into their future, so for that alone will certainly appeal to any die hard Eyehategod fans out there!! That said, it’s not really recommended to anyone seeking this band out for the first time, you’d be better off looking at their previous releases such as ‘Dopesick’ or ‘In The Name of Suffering’ as this really does show Eyehategod at their filthiest and rawest, but hey, I wouldn’t have it any other way, so turn your hi-fi up to 11, sit back and revel in Eyehategod’s despondent madness!
Label: Emetic Records
Website: www.eyehategod.com
Scribed by: Lee Edwards
