Muddy Leaf is a new and upcoming post-metal band from Tours, France that formed in 2014. The band’s first release was ‘Writing 1.0’ in 2016. The five piece band has now put the final touches on their sophomore release ‘Distorted & Wild’ mastered by Clément Dalmange, Muddy Leaf are sounding great from the start. The band is comprised of Djouk on lead vocals, Benoît and Guigz on guitars, Fwash on the bass, and William rounding out the band on drums. ‘Distorted & Wild’ is an extremely promising debut record. These tracks are cloudy and wrap around the ears of the listener. ‘Distorted & Wild’ was released February 5th, 2020.
Each song is lengthy but they never feel drawn out or mundane. Muddy Leaf manages to keep things spacey and atmospheric while occasionally dipping into thicker, lower sounds. The bass work especially creates sludgy grooves throughout the record. A great example is the opening track “The Matrix.” High clean vocals ring out over corresponding bass and guitar. This song does a good job leading into the rest of the album. It sets the tone and introduces the main elements of the record. Grimy bass, dynamic vocals, and sluggish drumming. Another standout track is “The Escape” with its mix of steady grooves and mystic passages. These mystic parts lead right into swampy guitars and drumming, accompanied by growls perfect for this sound. Not too light, not too heavy. During the gloomy and gleaming parts placed in between flashes of harshness, lofty singing harmonizes with bright guitars that make post-metal so great. “The Escape” is entertaining and thrilling throughout the whole song, so this track alone showcases the potential Muddy Leaf has.
There isn’t anything negative to say. On ‘Distorted & Wild’ Muddy Leaf set themselves up to joining the ranks of bigger post-metal bands. They absolutely deserve more attention and praise. The band avoids the sophomore slump and releases an album that will appeal to not only post metal fans but fans from other genres as well. However, Post-metal fans should watch Muddy Leaf closely as the wait for their next release begins. You can stream ‘Distorted & Wild” below and check out their Facebook.
