Those seeking ultra-heavy, downtuned, sludgey doom, look no further
than the aptly-name Conan, a Liverpudlian trio who formed in 2006.
Reviewed here is their second full-length album, 2014's Blood Eagle,
featuring six crushingly heavy tunes, with
vocals that are sparse,
less hateful than many sludge bands,
and somewhat distantly mixed,
which gives the songs a chance to breathe.
But it's really all about those riffs -- sure, bands like
Electric Wizard
or
Sleep
provide an entry point for Conan's style, but these guys seem just a bit
more dynamic.
This genre has never been about mass appeal, and thus Conan is unlikely
to ever become superstars playing this stuff, but for some, this is what
HEAVY metal is all about.
Recent album: Violence Dimension,
released on April 25, 2025.
