Blizzard at Sea

Blizzard At Sea claims to be a metal band. Sure, singer/guitarist Steven Douglas tortures his vocal chords with a classic Cookie Monster gargle, but something else is going on here. Before kicking into proggy start-stop riffing, “Island Of Stars” begins with an extended dreamy intro, anchored with oceanic bass, reminding me of the trancey minimalism of New Zealand’s Bailter Space.

And then there’s the album title “Invariance” and song names like “Closed Universe” and “Action At A Distance”–are these guys closet mathletes? Under those black Napalm Death T-shirts are they somehow concealing lab coats? I shouldn’t be surprised that any band that incorporates mixed-meter rubik’s cubes of riffs into their songs is letting their nerd flag fly a little bit.

To the extent that they occasionally find a groove to ride, I’m totally with them. But Invariance is like Iowa weather–wait a minute and it will change. There’s loads of good stuff here, like the strange double-time ‘B’ section in “Simulcra” that recalls Philip Glass. But I’m not enough of a metal fan to be as excited about the bombastic headbanging riffs that follow. They can certainly play though, and the sound throughout this album is dynamic and warm, not a tinny & harsh “it goes to eleven” onslaught like a lot of new Metal.

But I wish Blizzard At Sea would stay on the slowed down groovy stoner side of the street. Every time they switch suddenly to a thrashy metal section in the song, I feel like I’m riding in the car and my annoying little brother switched radio stations on me. If metal is your thing, though, this EP will get your head thrashing and your ears ringing, and there’s nothing wrong with that. - littlevillagemag.com

Why should major label bands be the only ones who get love? Unsigned & Streamed is a new column where we stream a song from an unsigned band we at Metal Insider really dig.
This week, we’re proud to present Iowa City’s Blizzard At Sea. Having formed in early 2010, this three piece band has been making a name for themselves in Iowa’s local metal scene, performing nonstop and having opened for 3 Inches Of Blood and Skeletonwitch last April. Their debut EP Invariance, which lyrically covers topics such as mining deep underground, wormholes, memory, and the fabric of the cosmos, was released via Bandcamp for “name your own price”. The band’s progressive sludgy sound instantly reminds us of early Mastodon and Baroness. But don’t just take our word for it, check out Blizzard At Sea for yourself and give the song “Closed Universe” a listen down below.

You can buy and stream Blizzard At Sea’s Invariance in its entirety over at their Bandcamp page. You can keep up to date on the band’s upcoming shows and releases via the band’s website and Facebook page. - metalinsider.net

BLIZZARD AT SEA are a 3 Piece Sludge/Post-Metal Band from

The members are:

Jesse Cohen - Bass Guitar, Vocals
John W. Komdat - Drums, Vocals
Steven Douglas Ross - Guitars, Vocals

BLIZZARD AT SEA play the some epic finely tuned Progressive Sludge/Post Metal music. Playing the same sort of styles of masters past and present such as ALASKAN, MASTODON, ISIS and Baroness..

BLIZZARD AT SEA make their own unique mark into the realm of Sludge/Post-Metal music.

They have just released their outstanding EP – Invariance. 4 songs at 28 mins in length.

4 great epic songs especially the 8.39 masterpiece “Action At A Distance”.

Full of bone crunching Sludge/Post-Metal Guitar Riffs from start to finish. Blizzard at Sea also have a superb range of vocals I haven’t heard since the early days of ISIS. Really blend the Hardcore/Death Growls along with the more traditional eerie Clean Grizzled Vocals. This really does add to the EP’s effect.

This is real atmospheric Sludge/Post-Metal music to send shivers down your body. This is what the best Post-Metal bands really excel at. And Blizzard At Sea are masters at doing this. Playing epic music until the loud, heavy riff kicks on all of the EP’s superb tracks. None so more on “Simulacra”. A great track to check out time and time again.

The EP artwork is simply stunning to match the band’s music. Really gives you a true picture on what to expect. Loud Sludge Metal Riffs being played in the vastness of space.

Production is superb on every track. Every note is played superbly well. Loud, thick Sludge Guitar Riffs are the driving force behind this excellent EP and they don’t disappoint. Neither does the heavy pounding drumming as well. Really adds to the eerie atmosphere of the EP.

Invariance is a true work of great music. And a superb entry into the world of Sludge/Post-metal.

Another great band to keep an eye out for in the future.

You can download this excellent album on BandCamp pay anything you want type deal. So what you waiting for. Get downloading now.

If you are into the bands named above then you will really admire this outstanding EP. Simply brilliant!!! - thesludgelord.blogspot.com

Metal from Iowa. No. Not that masked band. Real metal from Iowa. Iowa City three piece Blizzard At Sea play a brand of bass heavy sludge that you might not be ready for. In the mood for some twirling guitar solos and operatic vocals? Then move along. Are you into a style of music classified as "djent?" Nothing to see here. Love the sultry voice of a female singer? Nope, not a chance. I think you get the picture. Good, heavy, working class metal, without a hint of irony or ego. This is "Invariance."

Deep, rich guitars open the albums first track, "Islands Of Stars." As the light tapping of cymbals begins, you can feel the pressure start to build. A single rumbling bass note echos and fades, before the band explodes into a furious wall of sound. Low, distorted bass lines clash with heavy handed drumming, opening the door for a chain of harsh screams. The tempo builds, with the solid rhythm section taking the lead. Guitar chords are played at a solid bass, moving up and down in tone, often feeling spacey. The single notes dart in and out of one another, with the solid pounding of kick and snare. Even in the more stripped down sections, the bass will shake you to your core. One last rush leads the track home, with the raspy screams leading the way.

A single guitar provided the opening melody in "Closed Universe," before it delves into a full band attack. Guitar and bass sync up together, becoming the backing for a series of harsh, coarse vocals. Moving up and down the scales, the guitar work winds away, switching back and forth between clean melodies and distorted chords. The airy vocals in the mid section are a nice change of pace, with the simple kick snare drum combinations keeping a solid beat throughout. The build up of guitars leads you back to a thrashing scream fest, with syncopated drum hits bringing it all together.

There is a definite post-metal sound in the early stages of "Simulacra," using the instrumentals to set a tone and story before the vocals kick in. Things slow down, with the bass sliding up and down the neck in support of the vocals. Things are slow and deliberate through the verse, while the guitars get more creative in the bridge. The solo is perfectly placed and executed, bringing some clean, progressive elements to the table. Drums, bass and guitar come together or a long build up, dialing it back for a darker melody. The instrumental work here would make "Crack The Skye" era Mastodon nod their heads. Even the bellowing cries are at home, leaving your neck soar and ears throbbing.

Track placement can breathe life into, or kill, an album. And the choice to finish things off with "Action At A Distance" was a good one. The light intro gives way to a low end rumble of drums and bass. The beat and flow of this early section could easily have been fleshed out to a nine minute instrumental of its own. But as the distortion hits with the force of a semi-truck, you see why this is the closer. The punch of the drums is undeniable, with every fill and roll sending your woofer into a state of shock. Each change of tempo and tone keeps you guessing, with no opportunity to lose focus. Stop and start, fast and slow, clean and dirty. You get a healthy dose of the entire scope of metal in this track, including a foray into clean, almost chant-like vocals. With all the chaos captured on this album, it is only fitting that they shift gears, and go out like a lamb.

The idea that metal must be complicated to be good was never right. It was the opinion of the elitists, who truly believed that solos and sweep picking defined the genre. Blizzard At Sea is another nail in the coffin of that theory. Good, hard-nosed instrumentals with the grit and force of a strong vocalist. Elitists need not bother. Fans of metal, "Invariance" is an album to add to your progressive sludge wish list.

8.5/10 - sorroweternal.blogspot.com

I am not a huge metal fan, but if I was, I would be really into Blizzard at Sea. Even as a non-metal fan, I can appreciate how good they are. They have a really tight drummer and a lead singer able to produce remarkably gruff, cookie monster vocals. Some of their songs seemed pretty long, though the blaring, beautifully distorted guitar likely created a time warp that made me lose track of how long they really were playing. I’d see this band again despite my general anti-metal sentiments. Blizzard at Sea will be playing Mission Creek this month, March 30th at the Blue Moose Tap House. - Little Village