Passage Through Purgatory
| Passage Through Purgatory | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 5, 2008 | |||
| Studios | Jam Room Studio Columbia, South Carolina | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 33:21 (Relapse release) | |||
| Labels | Hyperrealist Records Relapse Records | |||
| Producer | Phillip Cope (of Kylesa) | |||
| Black Tusk chronology | ||||
| ||||
Passage Through Purgatory is the first studio album from American sludge metal band Black Tusk. The album was originally released in 2008 by Hyperrealist Records.[1] A remastered expanded edition was issued in 2011 by Relapse Records.[2]
Background
Passage Through Purgatory was recorded at the Jam Room Studio in Columbia, South Carolina and engineered by Jay Matheson, Steve Slavich and Phillip Cope.[3][4] The album blends sludge metal, stoner metal, and hardcore punk, combined with shouted vocals by each of the three band members.[5] Its sound has drawn comparisons to fellow Savannah bands Kylesa and Baroness, as well as High on Fire and Corrosion of Conformity.[6]
The album was released on CD and vinyl by Hyperrealist Records.[7] The original CD release included an extra song and a bonus DVD of music videos, a live set, and a photo gallery.[5] In 2011, Relapse Records released a remastered edition of the album which included two bonus tracks.[8] The extra songs, “Beneath” and “Fatal Kiss”, were previously released in 2009 on split 7" singles with The Holy Mountain and Fight Amp.[9][4] Both tracks were later included on the B-sides and rarities compilation album Years in Black.[10]
Music videos were created for "Fixed in the Ice" and "Mind Moves Something", which were directed by Alixandra Petrovich[11] and Jay Reiter,[12] respectively.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Exclaim! | Positive[6] |
| V13 Media | Positive[13] |
In a review for V13 Media Group, Bruce Moore described Passage Through Purgatory as "slow burning, super gloomy, and heavy as hell; a lethal mix of heavy guitars and growling vocals." He praised the band for "their ability to take something so heavy and so raw and make it almost catchy," stating, "As gloomy and sludgy as it gets... the disc includes quite a few terrifically infectious grooves."[13] Mike Simpson gave the album a positive review for Exclaim!, saying, "Thanks to hefty co-signs via the now instantly recognizable artwork of Baroness's John Baizley, as well as the crusty but thorough production of Kylesa's Phillip Cope, this band have received the full-on Southern sludge treatment... Passage Through Purgatory is a gritty combo of the aforementioned stalwarts' riff-driven, groove-based greatness alongside crossover-era C.O.C. thrash vitriol and some of the crawling chaos of High on Fire. The simplicity of Tusk's formula is enticing, even demonstrating a touch of classic metal abandon sadly absent in their big brother bands' output."[6]
Track listing
All songs were written by Black Tusk.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Witch's Spell" | 0:57 |
| 2. | "Fixed in the Ice" | 2:54 |
| 3. | "Mind Moves Something" | 2:55 |
| 4. | "Interlude" | 1:25 |
| 5. | "End of Days" | 3:49 |
| 6. | "Prophecy One By One" | 3:24 |
| 7. | "Falling Down" | 3:15 |
| 8. | "Breaking the Backs of Men" | 3:28 |
| 9. | "Call of the Sewer Rat" | 2:52 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | Untitled (hidden remix of "Facedriver") | 2:48 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Beneath" | 4:20 |
| 11. | "Fatal Kiss" | 3:55 |
Personnel
Passage Through Purgatory personnel adapted from liner notes.[3][4]
- Black Tusk
- Andrew Fidler – guitar, vocals
- Jonathan Athon – bass, vocals
- James May – drums, vocals
- Production
- Phillip Cope – producer, engineering, vocals on "Fixed in the Ice"
- Jay Matheson – engineering
- Steve Slavich – engineering
- Scott Hull – mastering
- Zach Thomas – engineering (Relapse bonus tracks)
- Dave Harris – mastering (Relapse bonus tracks)
- John Dyer Baizley – cover art, design
References
- ↑ Joel Weickgenant (August 5, 2008). "Beyond Genre: Swamp metal comes home". savannahnow.com. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Black Tusk Streaming "Passage Through Purgatory" Reissue". theprp.com. May 18, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- 1 2 Passage Through Purgatory (Media notes). Black Tusk. Hyperrealist Records. 2008. CD liner notes. HR 015.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - 1 2 3 Passage Through Purgatory (Media notes). Black Tusk. Relapse Records. 2011. CD liner notes. RR 7153.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - 1 2 "Black Tusk - Passage Through Purgatory CD+DVD (Hyperrealist)". Robotic Empire. Archived from the original on February 19, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Mike Simpson (May 28, 2011). "Black Tusk Passage Through Purgatory". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Hyperrealist news". hyperrealist.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Relapse to re-issue Black Tusk debut". lambgoat.com. February 8, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Black Tusk - written by Burning Ambulance". burningambulance.com. October 31, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Years in Black – Black Tusk". Bandcamp. Black Tusk. November 6, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Blacktusk - Fixed in the Ice". YouTube. October 16, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Mind Moves Something". YouTube. March 24, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 Bruce Moore (May 10, 2011). "Album Review - Black Tusk – "Passage Through Purgatory"". v13.net. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
External Links
- Passage Through Purgatory (Reissue) at Bandcamp (streamed copy where licensed)
- Passage Through Purgatory at Discogs (list of releases)