(By Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker, Senior Writer/Journalist, RiffRelevant.com

By this time, it is an obvious observation that the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. has birthed a genre of metal that’s pretty much exclusive to the region.

Perhaps it was helped in part by the grunge movement of a couple decades back, with this latest sound taking the emotional aspect from it. Maybe it didn’t, though, and the bleak, monstrously gloomy traits of the PNW’s atmospheric doom / sludge output is just a natural by-product of the region. Who knows?

Not I. Hell, I’ve never been there, but there are certain bands that pique my curiosity, ones like YOB for example. Or, say… a newer group like the one we are gathered here to explore today, FLOOD PEAK, who dropped their début album back in February of this year.

That four-song introduction to this Portland trio, titled ‘Plagued By Sufferers‘, was issued at the time with little promotion or fanfare. It was an independent release by the three musicians here – Peter Layman (Guitars & Vocals), Pierre Carbuccia (Bass), and Dylan Stuntebeck (Drums). That’s a shame, too, because I could easily see this record resonating quite well with doom music fans, or the folks that contribute to Doom Charts, for that matter.

Over the span of these four lengthy compositions, “Precursor“, “Scourge“, “Mire“, and “Veiled By Summoners“, we are treated to some well-crafted blackened sludge, psych-doom, and post-metal. Dynamic songs with depth and pulverizing impact, the type that simultaneously batters the listener loopy, while mesmerizing them into an almost hypnotic state of enchantment.

This music is the audible epitome of the word “bittersweet”, as harmful blows to one’s self has never felt so damned good. Fun, yet frightening… enjoyable, yet concerning… corrosive, yet capable.

Delve into the harrowing marrow of FLOOD PEAK and their ‘Plagued By Sufferers‘ album via the stream above in this review. You can also head over to Bandcamp [HERE] where it is available to stream and purchase too.

For Fans Of: Neurosis, YOB, or Inter Arma.

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