The intersection of Morbid Angel, Neurosis, and Converge: This is where Nashville’s Yautja reside. Not the most intuitive alchemy, but somehow, it works really well on Songs Of Descent. A lot of this album is given over to frantic, grindy hardcore, but its best moments involve elephantine death/sludge lurches. The album’s booming, almost Zeppelin-esque production makes the most of these massive grooves. This is one of the most physically dominating metal records you’ll hear this year, and Yautja back it up with a mandatory live show. Guitarist Shibby Poole produces one of the best live tones I’ve ever heard from a DIY metal band, frequently using a signal splitter and a loop pedal to do the work of two guitarists. Quite a showing for a debut LP! –Doug [LISTEN]