Vertical Slit

***An absolutely atomizing collection of all the tracks from both the Smudge EP and the Under the Blood Red Lava Lamp cassette released by this JIM SHEPARD-led über-outer underground band from Columbus, Ohio, circa 1980. Played by three meth-baked and beer-soaked shamen, these tracks are the quintessential blend of heady midwestern prog and slobbering, damaged metal that fit uncomfortably well somewhere between In the Court of the Crismson King and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Immortalized at # 455 by Chuck Eddy in his "seminal" book Stairway to Hell: The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time, where he writes, "(Lava Lamp) adds up to a moss of pedal-mass not unlike Hearthan-era Pere Ubu." Pressed in a limited edition of 1,000 copies and features the original Lava Lamp liner notes as well as a remembrance from Old Age/New Age honcho Mike Rep (who originally released these titles on New Age in 1981 and Old Age in 1986 respectively). Amazing.