Blasted Chicago doom quartet Indian's Sanford Parker-recorded third full-length Guiltless is one of the heaviest records of 2011. It's also one of the best. The guitars are sturdy, droning, down-tempo, desolate, and exceedingly catchy, but it's the crusty details and exhilaratingly bleak, strangulated vocals of guitarists Dylan O'Toole and Middian/Wolves In The Throne Room/Nachtmystium multi-tasker Will Lindsay that bring it home for me. The also quintet features drummer Bill Bumgardner of Chicago-area blackened sludge crew Lord Mantis. More important to getting the atmosphere, though, is that Sean Patton's sole job is "noise." Take a listen. You'll need an hour and your favorite earplugs.
Indian - "No Grace"
Indian - "The Fate Before Fate"
Indian - "Guiltless"
Indian - "Guilty"
Indian - "The End Of Truth"
Indian - "Supplicants"
Indian - "Benality"
Guiltless is out 4/12 in the US via Relapse. Scott Fricke did the cover art. You can pre-order the album now at Relapse. If you're in the Chicago area, catch the guys' co-record release show with expansive, occasionally Om-like labelmates Bloodiest (featuring Bruce Lamont and members of 90 Day Men, Sterling) on 4/9 at Subterranean.
