Album Review: Sleeptaker -Could Have Moved Mountains

Sleeptaker of Santa Fe have a signature sound characterized by blast beats, guitar chugs, and screaming vocals. Could Have Moved Mountains, their seminal album,  is  very technical and progressive. Everything is extremely rhythmic, even the lead guitar. As such, most of the songs are carried forward with the bass and percussion. Just when the mantric riffs lull you into a false sense of security, you are blindsided by a bizarre tempo change. These pleasant surprises keep the mid paced, crunchy sound interesting.  Otherwise, many riffs are similar, and it’s hard to tell some songs apart.

Apostasy is the strongest track on the album; Not only is the guitar work sludgy and slow, but that unusual riff is one hell of an earworm. The superb drumming adds to the excellence of this track. Throughout the album, the music is very heavy and unforgiving, but there is something pensive underlying it. The lyrics are bleak and introspective, reflecting the catchy melodies grounded by rhythm. Could Have Moved Mountains is somewhat unpredictable but it is consistently heavy.

As far as technique is concerned, Sleeptaker are golden. However, the music is hard to grasp at first. It takes a while to accumulate to the unusual groove. Once you get the flow, Could Have Moved Mountains sounds tremendous.   It’s a stellar album, one that warrants four stars.