Welcome to Funeral South. You've seen the description, so hopefully you know what you're in for. This site is dedicated to all forms of extreme and underground music, with the occasional lapse into the mainstream by way of the underground. This blog has been a long time coming, and I'm thankful that some of you are actually stoked to check it out. If you would like your band reviewed on the blog, hit up the e-mail and let me know. Now, with that out of the way, let's start the show.
The first band to be featured here on Funeral South is, in my humble opinion, the sickest hardcore band to ever come out of East Tennessee. At the time of their inception, the hardcore scene was full of very interesting bands that each had a different sound. However, things changed completely when Mind Sludge came along. Comprised of Alex Depew (Convictions, Just Jump That, Mental Shock, D.R.M.) on vocals, Neal Williams (Black Winter Holocaust, Austere Necrosis, Mental Shock, D.R.M.) on bass, Isaac Harris (My Final Resting Place, Pillarist, Stand Your Ground) on drums, and 14-year old Devon Guinn on guitar.
Quite honestly, you couldn't possibly find four more random characters to start a band like Mind Sludge if you tried. Neal and Alex had worked together before in Mental Shock and D.R.M., but until Mind Sludge, Isaac had never played this style of music and Devon had never even played in a band. I guess, by now, you're wondering what this band DID sound like. I've hinted at it this whole time, but haven't fully gone into any detail.
If you took the speed and violence of the original grind movement, and mixed it with hardcore, you would be left with Mind Sludge. I still get the same chills from their music now that I did two years ago when the first EP was completed. Neal got home from the studio, found me on AIM, and sent it to me immediately. I've worn it out, and still continue to do so. The frantic, bleak, and downright hateful vocals Alex put on this thing perfectly complimented the songs as much as the bass-heavy production. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. When bands have a great bassist, that bassist needs to be heard. Neal is no exception.
I can remember going with the guys to a show in Knoxville, TN in 2009 and how obscenely hot it was that July. Since I live on a mountain in Virginia, I left my house with a newly purchased His Hero Is Gone long sleeve, feeling as comfortable as possible. By the time I met Neal, closer to TN, I was in hell. It had to be pushing 100 degrees outside that day, and the only thing he and Alex could do was laugh hysterically at my poor wardrobe choice.
When we met up with our ride to Knoxville, Alex and I stopped in the nearest convenient store to get our personal provisions for the trip, in the form of cigarettes for me and Grizzly Mint for him. Before Alex traded snuff for smokes, he was the most committed "dipper" I'd ever met in my life. However, he obviously had an edge on me. By the time we made it to Knoxville, I was having the nicotine fit from hell due to not being able to smoke in our ride's car while he remained calm, due to his inner-lip tobacco balm.
The venue, Longbranch Saloon, is a very cool place to play shows. The upper room is equally disgusting and beautiful, depending on who you are. The acrid stench of smoke and booze permeated through the thick, humid July air before we even set foot in the actual building. When we went upstairs, Jon from Bruteforce (Another band you'll be hearing about in this blog) informed us that all bands get a certain amount of free beer. Since the bartender wasn't carding, 20-year old Alex immediately started laying it to the Schlitz. Four beers later, Mind Sludge was ready to play. Even though none of the kids in attendance moved (it's typical at hardcore shows to stand with your arms folded for non-hype bands) Mind Sludge destroyed that room, as only they could.
As the night progressed, Alex somehow kept getting beer. By the time we realized this, he was five different shades of hammered. As we drove away from the venue, Alex spotted an old man walking along the street and thought it was Joe Walsh...yes, THAT Joe Walsh.
"Hey! Hey, Joe! I fuckin' love you, man!"
The old man responded with a middle finger and angry stare.
"What the fuck was that for?! Come on, dude! Play 'Rocky Mountain Way'!"
As if that wasn't enough, we later stopped at a gas station so Alex could piss. He suddenly came out of the gas station with a Mountain Dew and a candy bar. Considering Alex had been broke for a few days, we were all perplexed as to how he had a Mountain Dew and candy bar. We didn't figure out that he'd walked out of the store without paying, until he started drunkenly giggling about how nice the old woman at the counter was.
That's only one of dozens of stories about that dude, and a lot of fond memories came from my friendship with the dudes in this band. As of now, Mind Sludge as we knew it is long gone. Alex is still involved in music to some extent, and still creates under the Mind Sludge banner. However, his newer output is far removed from the grinding hardcore the band was known for. I'll always look forward to hearing whatever he does musically, as it's always interesting and entertaining. Neal has gone on to play bass in Paralyzer, another band you should definitely check out. Devon joined up with Stronghold recently, another area hardcore band that's coming up in a big way. As for Isaac, he now plays drums for The Showdown and is working towards the dream. That elusive dream of playing music for a living. But hell, if anyone is good enough to do it, it is most definitely Isaac. While I've never liked The Showdown, I'll support it as long as he's behind the kit.
But enough reminiscing. Here is the first ever Mind Sludge demo, containing six of the hardest songs to ever come from this area, along with a two song promo the guys recorded early last year. Get into it, and we'll see you again soon here on Funeral South.
Mind Sludge- Demo 2009
Mind Sludge- Addiction Scriptures Promo 2010
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