Kylesa
Exhausting Fire
Season of Mist
Release Date: 2 October 2015
Review by Thomas Riley Lanyon
Kylesa’s instantly identifiable brand of sludge-punk has been oozing out of America’s Deep South for well over a decade now, and has reared its long haired, head banging head on what is now seven full-length records. The seventh being Exhausting Fire, a glorious record that sees Kylesa wading confidently into new and uncharted territories; drawing inspiration from music far removed from the realm of heavy metal.
Tracks, Crusher, and Lost and Confused, shift gracefully between fuzzy grit and lilting ambience, adding a touch of post-rock dynamism to Kylesa’s tried and true sludge formula. Both tracks also serves as a great example of how Laura Pleasants’ and Phillip Cope’s vocals have developed into a much more cohesive unit, complementing one another more than on any previous release.
Moving Day and Night Drive bring ‘80s Goth and new wave influences to the Kylesa framework, while songs like Falling and Blood Moon dabble in psychedelic and eerie Americana. It’s this willingness to explore influences and inspirations that has resulted in Kylesa’s most colourful and textured work to date. Exchanging calm for crunch is something Kylesa have been doing well for years, however, with Exhausting Fire, they’ve damn well perfected it.
