Black Breath - Sentenced To Life

It's only April and I already have a strong candidate for album of the year. Boy oh boy, do I like Black Breath. Just unrelenting, crushing, loud metal.

There is no doubt. This is metal. It's on Southern Lord. It sounds like d-beat influenced thrash metal. It sounds like dark black metal. It sounds like Swedish death metal or as I like to call it - Entombed.
It's metal. Yet there is a part of me that still considers Black Breath hardcore. It can't just be because Eric Wallace is in ON and was in Go It Alone. It also can't be because Mark Palm has recently joined the band. There are lots of ties to hardcore, but in the end I just have to call it metal.

Southern Lord put a lot of effort and money into the overall package. Super thick vinyl. Let's go with 180 gram. I'm just guessing though.

I picked this up locally and was surprised to see red vinyl. Southern Lord advertised on their webstore that it came in black and red with black splatter. I guess red is retail? I have no idea how many were pressed. I'm sure "lots" is an acceptable answer.

Southern Lord has been doing this retro "tip-on" style of cover manufacturing from Stoughton Printing that screams "style" and "expensive". You can see the foldover seam with the angle I took the picture at. To print it in this style the entire back cover art is actually a sticker! It ends up a very durable, strong cover. No chance of split seams. I have seen some other newer albums with this style cover. I think I have an Earth lp like it. Whatever. I am way out of my element.

Printed inner sleeves aren't my favorite, but this is a good one because it is as thick as a regular outer sleeve.

Damn, I love this album. It just doesn't let up.