Review
Drawers
Self Titled

When it comes to thinking about "heavy" music, it's virtually impossible to not immediately think of titans of the genre Sleep and their epic 63 minute long Dopesmoker and the opening lines "Drop out of life, bong in hand/Follow the smoke toward the riff-filled land." On their self-titled second album for Kaotoxin Records, French sludge outfit Drawers shoot for a similar "riff-filled land" only they're making the trek with beer in hand.

Drawers specialize in a brand of sludge often associated with acts such as Baroness and Torche, as there's a certain tuneful quality among them. They're not quite as epic as Baroness and their chug is just step behind that of Torche's, but Drawers still spools out a righteously, joyful stomp through the already-mentioned riff-filled lands. Guttural growling vocals lead the charge over the course of these ten songs, hanging from sludgy hook to sludgy hook. 

The songs here aren't terribly long. The whole album registers at an even half hour. The riffs hang around for longer, though. Tracks such as "Once and for all", "Mourning" and "Words" find the band aiming for great heights with inspired, soaring vocals that are pretty high up in the mix. On other songs like "Bleak" and "Take stock" the band employs a more down-to-business approach that finds them navigating crushing sonic waves deftly. "Shadow dancers" is arguably the standout here with the band firing on all cylinders. There are breakdowns in between riffs, a smoldering bass lick, and vocals that ring out amidst the caterwaul. 

While the subject matter on these songs seems to be less than cheery, it's evident that genuine fun was had while the band was holed up in the studio hammering out this record. The ten tracks here are for drinking beers and hanging out. The songs are also catchy enough that if one gets a whiff of them on a Monday morning while in the office it'll take them right back to that righteous Friday night feeling. 

The cover for the album finds the band seemingly crammed into a photo booth with at least two beards that are detectable. It depicts a band in good spirits. If anything, they appear almost too upbeat. However repeated listens to this self-titled effort, reveal a very confident, serious band. A confident, serious band dedicated to conjuring up a good time. Put simply, this is sludge that knows its limits.