Dark Meditation - Polluted Temples [Black & White Vinyl]

DARK MEDITATION may hail from Seattle, but their sound is steeped in traditions associated with other corners of the globe—England’s working-class cities, frosty Scandinavian towns, Southern California meccas of the ‘80s. Or as the band puts it, DARK MEDITATION sounds like the bastard amalgamation of Venom and Judas Priest fighting it out on the Sunset Strip while Danzig and King Diamond cheer them on. While such reference points may suggest a nexus of evil kitsch and arena-level theatrics, the band’s debut album Polluted Temples comes from a place of down-and-out urgency and punk ethics, adopting the gloomy anthems and riff worship of heavy metal titans for their sonic exorcisms rather than their rock n’ roll panache. It’s an album that basks in big hooks, righteous guitar work, and an arena-level stomp without compromising any grit, grime, or guts.