Did you manage to make it through all eleven minutes and 39 seconds of yesterday's video? Did it give you humorrhoids, too?
Cvlt Nation has a different take, saying that 'Concrete Sustain' is "the sound of modern doom, and each track here holds dear to its heart the essence and core of the doom genre, yet Batillus twist it and turn it onto something new and different and a marvel to experience."
Pick up the imported Vendetta pressing vinyl (limited colored vinyl pictured above, we also have standard black-- these records look fantastic!) from us when you see us at a show and you'll get a code to download MP3s of the album courtesy of Seventh Rule.
"Both sides of this split have some pretty impressive takes on the genre, and serious streaks of individuality that make the songs worth hearing for fans or people who aren’t normally doom fanatics. [...] The three Batillus songs all keep up the band’s trademark of huge, drawn out riffs that destroy everything in their path."
Read the entire review here. Thanks to xFiruath and Doug Gibson.
"Strong riffs cycle through groove and sludge, producing doom worthy of headbanging and being stuck in your head. [...] These songs have strong blues and psychedelic foundations, which reflect back upon the group's time spent as an instrumental three-piece. [...] Greg Peterson's tone is excellent but his phrasing is top notch too. These riffs are big, but the best part is Batillus' collective control over them."
Read the entire review here. Thanks, Sean.
The doom sound is instantly recognizable, complete with rasping vocals—an ultra-heavy onslaught. That’s the known and well-explored ground. But from here, Batillus moves towards irresistible, heavy riffing psych. [...] This is a brilliant doom metal split—the Batillus side rules, because the American four-piece works so effectively and freshly within the known framework. [9/10]"
Read the entire review here. Thanks Jan-Arne.
"There is a nuance quality to the Batillus of today. This was unseen and unheard in their beginning. “The Children of the Night Make Their Music” has guitars that either vibrate or coil. Then, they actually get a little cozy. Its simplicity and almost nostalgic feel are a welcomed treat. Other bands, just figure being heavy as fuck makes the bulk of their job complete. [4/5]"
Read the entire review here. Thanks Hansel.
"The headline on the band's MySpace page simply reads 'Tone' and that one word really underscores what's going on with Brooklyn's Batillus. This instrumental three-piece understands that riffs go a long way, but having a killer tone pushes them even further."
Read the entire review here. Thanks John!
"Doom bands often get described as huge lumbering battering rams, methodically smashing into their listeners over long periods of time. The problem with battering rams is that they’re one trick wonders. They only do one thing, so even if they do it well, they can get old fast. A three piece doom band from New York decided to pass over the battering ram stage and go for something on a grander scale. Taking the name Batillus, a class of massive super tankers, they mimic their namesake well."
Read the entire review here. Thanks Ty!
"Doom is about nuances in a black hole. Doom is about distortion and about what you put on top of it. Doom is about slowly transcending…
"Batillus knows this very well. And that is why the three tunes included in this their introductory EP do not fall into what is traditionally called doom metal. To start with, there is a big dose psychedelia here, and sure Black Sabbath were trippy in their very own way, but for the most part what was known as doom throughout most of the 90’s stirred clear of mind altering sounds. The marriage is perfect. There is something utterly deranged about being outta your mind on drugs and there is also something deranged about spending half an hour bobbling your head to something as slow and rumbling as Batillus. It is both, hedonistic and masochistic." - Hansel Merchor
Read the entire review here. Thanks Hansel!
"New York's Batillus tune down to a relatively civilized B. But unlike many other bands that do so, they're not just sitting on open notes. The guitars are all over the place, which is uncommon for their doom milieu. While the band is duly slow and low (the three songs on this EP each top 10 minutes in length), it traverses diverse terrain: trippy Sabbath-isms, mutated Helmet riffs, even black metal tremolo picking. It's an excitingly open system. There are lots of riffs - if you dislike one, one you like will likely arrive minutes later. Songs morph between riffs with surprising mobility, given the lumbering framework." - Cosmo Lee
Read the entire review here. Thanks Cosmo!
Chris Krovatin over at RevolverMag.com was kind enough to offer a few words on our recent show with Gates of Slumber:
Following [L.A. Cross] is Batillus, another Brooklyn outfit, who get the crowd on their feet and headbanging intensely with their über-slow, beyond-atmospheric instrumental blackened doom. Batillus' rumbling bass tones and the unhinged skin-beating officially transform the night from a gathering of leather-clad beard enthusiasts to a Metal Show.
