TENANT (USA) – Beecher’s Bibles, 2022

“Anti-landlord sludge” is a good enough presentation card to want to listen to TENANT’s music but, it is maybe too short and a little descriptive of what this trio from Kansas really brings with their first release.

Beecher’s Bibles were the breech-loading rifles that the anti-slavery guerrillas used during the Bleeding Kansas period.  And it is also how TENANT decided to name their opus; dedicated to the figure of John Brown, a man that, in the 1800s, was able to burst out of the socially impregnated racism, and «crossed the line of permissible dissent» to try to unchain slave’s catenas, and awakening certain social awareness towards Black people’s oppression.

Musically it’s not an engaging band, except for some melody-driven parts, and stoner rhythms like on “Rent notice”. But who expects sludge to be gentle? It is highly enjoyable, though.

Think of a more funeral version of ACID BATH and the “In the name of suffering” EYEHATEGOD era. Flirting with every possible aggressive extreme sound at hand. We get grindcore on “Railcar Carrion”, “Ensanguinator”, and many other specific moments that will also add black metal, huge doses of doom, death/doom – “Human Capital Stock” – hardcore, and a very obvious involvement of harsh noise – “Hive for a House”, the whole “General Electric”, etc -. “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” is a punkier version of them, and there’s even room for what feels like free jamming; the opener, and the final song.

The perfect amalgamation of anger and satiety to remember landlords are some modern descendants of slave owners, and not only the people we pay our rent to but any individual that uses and abuses others to increase their personal capital. So, fuck them very much to the dense and fierce rhythm of TENANT’s sludge.