Gallery – Anno Exitium

Los-motherfucking-Angeles Doom/Sludge with a tiny bit of Thrash, say hello to the new kings of West Coast massacres, Gallery. A band that was pretty well known around the Myspace-era, before it kicked the bucket, is back with it’s debut full-length “Anno Exitium”. An album that is packed full of bass lines that will shatter your windows and probably give your small animals heart-attacks, if you aren’t careful. I recently got my hands on this album after I heard Bob from The Soggy Bog of Doom play a couple tracks over his radio program. Honestly, any band that can give me the raw filth of Doom/Sludge but mix it with a dose of Thrash, I’m all on board and my hands are on deck for a very interesting ride. A 4-piece from California, brand new debut full-length and an attitude that will crush your grandmothers dreams, let’s see what this album has to offer, shall we?

“Reflections at the End of Time” is the opening track that will get you prepared for what is to come while listening to “Anno Exitium”, it’s that filthy groove of bass and hate filled vocals that make me questions if this album will get any better. Well, it does because even though these dudes love what they do, they also love questioning religion on all fronts. “Man-Made God”, a track that is filled with God hating lyrics and in good reason, they have opinions and they let them show in this record. I’ve seen some other reviews compare Gallery to Eyehategod or Weedeater but with a more addictive, pounding and catchy feel, I have to agree with those reviews and the people that have those opinions, “Anno Exitium” is beyond anything I’ve heard before this year. Actually, my first play-through of the record, all I could think was “Album of the year….so far?”, it’s the truth because nothing has came out this year, at least in my opinion, that compares to what this monster of an album is doing. “War Drum” and “SoulKrusher”, these two tracks have to have some of the most rotten filled riffs I’ve heard on an album in years. The last time I remember hearing shit as heavy and ear-blasting as this was back when I heard Sleep “Sleep’s Holy Mountain” in ’95 or so.

I”ll say this, if any of you can find a record or band that can bring me to my knees as “Anno Exitium” has, do it because I’ll show you in gold coins, which I don’t have. Let’s go with this little analogy, if “Anno Exitium” was around in the days of Christ getting crucified, this whole album would of been played over and over as he was getting killed on the cross and buried, that simple. “Immortal Blade” is the track on the album that has the most Thrash elements in it, I suppose. Just it’s aggressive, hard hitting onslaught of kicking you in the nuts is what makes me love this track a ton, the opening to the track isn’t to shabby either since it does give you that Doom/Sludge fix before the Thrash parts kick in. As impossible as it is to pick just one track on this album that sticks out the most, the one that I would play for someone who’s interested in the album, I would have to go with “House of Cards”. A 5 minute bastard of a track that will give you everything you love in all the genres mentioned above, not to mention the small build-ups throughout the track is a very nice touch to what Galley has to offer. Outstanding album from a band that will kill everything you love in a heartbeat, if you don’t watch it closely.

Gallery is, in fact, that band you’ll hear a ton about in the near future, if you haven’t already. I wouldn’t be surprised if i walked into my Grandparents house tomorrow and they were blasting this record, their 70 year old ear could shatter in an instant and the dog hiding underneath the bed for cover from the destruction. Trust me, if you dig Doom/Sludge at all, pick up “Anno Exitium” if you get the chance because it won’t leave that CD player for months. It’s the new crack of Doom/Sludge, it’s that fucking powerful, people. Support these dudes and tell everyone you know that this record right here, will be album of the year, at least in my book it is, hands fucking down. As always check the links below for those Gallery needs and wants, also, if you can find these dudes on facebook, let me know because I’ve searched high and low to find these scumbags but I can’t, at all.

Official Facebook Page. Official Myspace. You can download it here.