Bury the Machines, a two-man group from Chicago, has produced a depressive, sludgy brew in the form of a new EP, Wicked Covenant. I hadn't gotten to hear their 2016 album, but I have lived in Chicago before, and they definitely capture the vibe of human loneliness in a cold, mechanized space.

Vocalist John Bomher sings clean vocals at the start, but most of the vocals are croaked, black metal-style. Even when Bomher's singing cleanly, the shrieks are shallowly buried underneath the calmer tones like a body in a shallow grave. Beneath My Wrath combines abrasive riffing with tremolo picking and a heavy hand on the wah-wah, including an interesting little wah-wah riddle crammed in towards the end. A Victim's Tears, on the other hand, takes its cue much more from early 90s alternative and stoner doom -- the black metal is gone, but the harsher element remains, backed by slow-motion crushing. The final track combines these two aspects of the music into a crucible of raw emotion. The most melodic song of the lot, and my favorite, it is more complex and showcases Bomher's prowess on the wah-wah even further. I found myself liking Wicked Covenant more than I'd expected; fans of avantgarde music with roots in grunge and post-punk will probably be the biggest fans here.

Bandcamp: https://midniteclv.bandcamp.com/album/wicked-covenant.