Goddamn this stuff rules! Laudanum play an interesting hybrid of sounds that draws influences from sludge, stoner rock, crust and hardcore and combines them into a unique and lethal concoction. There is a definite presence of a dark, angular groove in most of the songs that is catchy as hell but much different than the more Sabbath/southern style riffing of a lot of sludge bands. The bass is thick and dense; giving everything a very suffocating atmosphere while the drums pound away relentlessly destroying whatever gray matter is left in your skull. I love the vocals too, which definitely have a crust/grindcore edge to them with a lot of trade-offs between each member with harsh shouts, low death growls and fierce screams all being utilized. This is just a killer record from start to finish, with a lot of great samples and the always stellar artwork of Judd Hawk (who is in the band, by the way!).

The Apotheker is a powerful work that should appeal to fans of Leechmilk and Dystopia, that whole crossover kind of sound that mixes the heavy sludge with a lot of other elements as well. There's a lot going on this record from straight up stoner rock riffing to brutal crust elements and the variety just keeps me coming back again and again.