The Royale Nightclub’s website specifically states that formal dress is required, and yet they seem open to hosting Metal and Hardcore shows. I’m sure you’re aware they attract people that sometimes don’t bathe as well as the normal clientele, or at least dress in a manner that suggests this fact. The Royale should have no right to judge since its locale is so nondescript on the exterior that one would be forgiven for missing it entirely while looking right at it. Even I, who had seen it a month prior before THE GHOST INSIDE show was having a hard time believing this was indeed the place that pit warfare was set to occur. Located next to a grubby convenience store and boasting the outside of a hotel suffering from cognitive dissonance, surrounded by Hardcore kids, you’d be shocked to see the largely rose hues adorning the walls of the interior. Just goes to show one can’t judge by appearances, at least for buildings. Just assume someone’s dying in any building you set your sights on, basically.
The inside of the Royale is such that you’re almost made more eager to start smashing things once the riff gate opens. Fancy chairs for those who would rather stay unharmed, Patrón on the rocks, and the aforementioned pink lighting performing an unrestrained waltz of chromatic liberty with splashes of lavender. I had a most wonderful conversation with a security guard about being careful in Dorchester for a few minutes, since apparently I’d make an ideal target for roving packs of gangbangers, but this is common sense and he was wasting his time. I humoured him regardless. Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful, baldie.
Before I digress any further: this place was just ripe for the blood, sweat, and tears approach to Hardcore that CONVERGE brings. The type of Hardcore that openers WHIPS/CHAINS bring is lacking in that, however.
They have everything that I enjoy in bands like ALL PIGS MUST DIE, NAILS, and CURSED: sludgy production, riffs draped in unveiled malice fired from cannons of “fuck you”, vocals from the void, and pounding drums matched only by subterranean rumblings. Though they possess the skill and anger of the bands I just mentioned, something sounds out of place, and I just can’t get into it. Blame it on overexposure to bands that have done it before, and maybe I do indeed have no room left for another band that sounds like COALESCE swimming in an oil spill with members of BOLT THROWER. In the meantime, I’ll just leave it at the fact that they’re good, probably even great, but at the moment I’m not into it.
Following W/C were local hatemongers NEW LOWS, whose lyrics revolve around being mad and other negative things. Having not seen NEW LOWS since a matinee show some time ago, I was eager to see how they’re doing these days, and hoping that they’re still as pissed off as they were before. By Jove, they haven’t changed, and I love it. The crowd was luckily the type that either appreciated NEW LOWS or simply liked what they heard, so I didn’t have to feel like my going all-out for them would be seen as unnecessary roughness. This being the first time seeing NEW LOWS in such a large venue, it was almost bizarre having so much space within which to perform my normal drowning-in-air ministrations. No gimmicks, no hype, just piss.
Up next were everyone’s favourite Black’n’Rollers KVELERTAK, mainly because not many other bands make Black’n’Roll so fun. KVELERTAK hail from frøstbitten Nørway, though their musical output does much to warm the blood of audiences they play to. Having recently played Fun Fun Fun Fest with they’re showing no signs of quitting any time soon. From the ultra-energetic opener “Ulvetid”, to hymn-for-the-imbibed closer “Mjød”, not a single song let the energy die down. The mosh action was hilariously inappropriate for the band, though they are a mix of Black Metal er… Metal-ness and the driving rhythms of Hardcore and Punk, one wouldn’t expect two-stepping to rule the roost. Nonetheless, everyone seemed to be having a great time shouting along, crowdsurfing, and of course, spilling the beer they had bought merely minutes ago.
KVELERTAK: Black’n’Roll. Party Time. Excellent.
TORCHE: Not afraid to have fun.
Self-proclaimed “Stoner-Pop” band TORCHE arrived to cool things down, and I solemnly swear that I don’t think it’s funny that the name directly contradicts what they did. By the time they rolled around, the crowd had grown at least twice as large as it was during KVELERTAK, showing just how much pull they alone had for the evening. I even know a couple of people who would have gone mainly for Torche, if not only just for them. In their generous set time they showed off their Miami-brewed blend of the heaviness they take from Stoner/Sludge Metal while infused with the lighter harmonies of Indie leanings. Comparable acts are THE SWORD and RED FANG, though TORCHE is definitely the silliest of the three, and thus I like them best. The only issue I had with TORCHE this time around, having seen them before, was the vocals, since they weren’t as strong as I remembered them being. This was a small issue, since all of the other elements were in their prime: The guitars were heavy, the drums were on target, and the atmosphere was that just-right juxtaposition of having your head dunked in a bucket of syrup and taking a pleasant swim in clear water. On a completely unrelated note, I positively adored their DESCENDENTS rip-off tee of the “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up” album featuring baby Milo sporting a Jane Doe shirt, with the title “Torche Goes On Tour With Converge”. Had I a few extra bucks to spend, I would buy it at a high price.
Editor’s note: This is the best shirt of 2012
Set List:
Pirana
Kicking
Reverse Inverted
Grenades
Healer
Across the Shields
Charge of the Brown Recluse
Tarpit Carnivore
And now, for the pièce de résistance, the crème de la crème, and other French phrases one uses to express delight at the part of a meal one is most excited for: CONVERGE, the superheroes of Massachusetts Hardcore.
I weep for those who haven’t bought this album yet.
I’ve known about CONVERGE since I was 13 years old, having heard their song “Last Light” on an Epitaph compilation CD. Being musically stupid at the time and thinking that LINKIN PARK were THE rock band to listen to, I absolutely hated it. I hated the vocals, the production, the song structure, everything. It was one of my least liked songs on that compilation next to “Forever Young” by YOUTH GROUP. It took me about 4-5 years to grow up and realize the error of my ways, and “Last Light” began to grow on me. The dynamics of balancing vulnerable emotion and chaotic rage finally struck a chord within me, and I just got it. After listening to Jane Doe and No Heroes, I was swayed to the side of good. It’s a shame it took ages for the real message to stick, but better late than never.
So fast forward to 2012, and there I was greatly fearing injury, yet at the same time accepting that it was quite inevitable. My prediction, as some of you may know, came true; My worries were made manifest as an elbow to the left eye and nose, and the lesser torments of repeated kicks to the skull from stagedivers, though fear not, any damage incurred has been repaired… or has it? I still worry whenever I make slips of the tongue that were more easily avoided prior to this experience. And yes, dear reader, I was, in the parlance of our times, “knocked the fuck out”, and I must say that the quick nap I took due to the sheer dizziness of that attack gave me the strength I needed to stagedive for “The Broken Vow”. The “dive to prove I’m alive” manœuver, as it was so cleverly termed by a Spaniard, proved quite effective.
CONVERGE: We are too scared of them to make a witty comment.
It was a phenomenal set. They played a lot of greats, opening with “Concubine” and “Dark Horse” just to get the audience churning themselves into a mass of flannel, flesh, and hatred. It was no-mans land in the middle of that pit, and even the outermost perimeter did not by any means make one safe from flying limbs. Jacob Bannon kept the people energized by reminding us just how crazy Boston can get even if we are past those golden years of Hardcore, throwing out the names of COLIN OF ARABIA, and some others I forgot because I took many blows to the head, remember. The Metalheads, Punks, and Hardcore kids of Boston may be divided on the surface, but it takes a great band like CONVERGE to bring them all together.
It’s all a whirlwind of fists, loud noises, and bloodshed. I’m sure I accidentally punched someone in the face, and to you, I apologize. It was all in the spirit of the moment, and if you weren’t committing some violent act or on the receiving end of one, then you probably wasted your time and money going. Some gladly kept the action going even when the music had stopped, and JACOB (BANNON) insisted that if you happened to be caught onstage not stagediving, waiting for the next song, then you were probably not using your time wisely. Of course, he said it in a more imperative fashion, but that’s just my spin on it, you see.
CONVERGE is headlining what might be called the best show of 2013…
I’m beginning to ramble, but that’s what happens when I love a show so much that I can scarcely put into factual terms just how monumental it was. CONVERGE’s homecoming was a magnificent dithyramb of naked fury, and no amount of hyperbole will surpass what everyone in that room felt that night during that final dissonant breakdown of “Last Light”. I don’t know about you, but there was no sound in the heavens sweeter than that disfigured chord at the time, and I shall admit that I shed some manly tears, thus causing lions made of dragons to be born from exploding stars. When they announced they were encoring with “The Saddest Day”, it was quite unwise to be near the stage for those 7 minutes, as you ran the risk of having your head dropkicked off by some errant punk. Practicing caution and raising my arm at key moments was instrumental to my being alive to relay this tale to you, reader, so always wear a dental dam at a CONVERGE show.
In the aftermath, it was discovered that there were no casualties, though few who actively participated came out without some form of soreness or bleeding. I made it out with a not-too-noticeable lump on the bridge of my nose. One person completely missed the crowd during a stagedive, and the floor shook a bit from his landing on his back, so I’d hate to be that guy waking up for work or school the next day. No pain, no gain, you’re DAVE MUSTAINE. Next time CONVERGE roll around, which is hopefully soon, if they’re indeed gonna be getting back to their normal lives in the illest colonial city of them all, I’ll make sure I get legitimately banged up. In the meantime, I must procrastinate and forget to do things, as usual. Ciao, bella.
In a perfect world DYING FETUS would be a much bigger band than they are. Granted they didn’t pick a moniker when they were starting out based on commercial viability. Still, I used to get mad years ago when I would meet some fellow metal heads and they didn’t know this band to be one of the leaders of all of death metal. In the years that have passed since then DYING FETUS has continued to stay consistent and make great music, despite having to watch other bands rise in popularity, headline festivals and sell more records. Not that the band gives two shits about that either. They just do what they do year after year: they make some of the best, most brutal music on the planet.
I first heard “Invert The Idols” on the bands’ spring tour and it blew me away with it’s sick musician ship and speed. Consider this is one of the best bands in the genre and fast what they do naturally, and that prior statements gets some context. Right off the bat the production sounds miles better than their last album, which sounded pretty good. The drums sit in the pocket with all the sick vocals while guitar and bass sound evenly balanced and clear. Many death metal bands prefer crude production, but I have always appreciate that the FETUS guys are musicians who care about the how their albums sound. The opening sweep picking riff will take the wind out of you while you try to process it. The song is blisteringly fast and over in a blink at just over two minutes. Similarly “Subject to a Beating” is another mind-blowing blast-beat laden romp. This time both John Gallagher and Sean Beasley share the vocal leads and compliment each other like never before. They both veer back and forth between the growled indecipherable vocals and then clearer, understandable ones. Mostly, they use their voices as extra instruments like many vocalists in the style. Some of the riffs on the album pack in all types of scales and licks performed with a precision not usually possible at these inhuman speeds. Prog is not a word I tend to think of when discussing this band, but there are definite proggy moments on this album. As a trio they have never backed down from being great players. “Second Skin” is another fast crusher that has elements of music beyond standard death metal styles. This album has some excellent groove parts on it too, which the band hasn’t over-used like just about every other band. “From Womb to Waste” begins with what is surely the sample of 2012: “It’s not my fault I’m pregnant and I love drugs. Who cares? Fuck the baby. Let it die!”. The grinding beat of the song and the mean riffs give it a sinister, eerie effect. Drummer Trey Williams has been at the forefront of death drummers for ages, but doesn’t often get mentioned in the year end lists. He is tight at any tempo and whether it is using choice fills on slow beats or insanely fast parts, he is as strong on record as he is live. “Dissidence” sounds awesome with its manic opening and both vocalists unleashing a howling scream. The song is more like a classic FETUS cut, when they were a little more hardcore influenced (don’t you dare call it deathcore). I love the head-nodding beat and the straight up chord changes too. “In the Trenches” is similar to start out with a straight a head chug. Gallagher puts together one of the best guitar performances of any album this year. “Devout Atrocity” again makes with the acrobatic riffs and scales. The fact that Beasley not only can keep up, but holds his own in the bass department is admirable. There is a neat stomp-groove part that recalls both OBITUARY and BOLT THROWER at one point, both key influences on the band. Gallagher opens “Revisionist Past” with a sick lead guitar solo before the preposterous tempo kicks in and the song becomes a gnarly blur. I can’t wait to see the YouTube videos popping up for bands trying to play this one! The final song is “The Blood Of Power” and is a fitting end to such a great album. The song has bits of everything that makes them great, including more stellar axe work. Underrated no more, DYING FETUS has ascended the mantle of the greats of death metal, whether the average fan knows it or not.
If you are still sleeping on DYING FETUS, just kill yourself.
British badasses BOLT THROWER are celebrating 25 years years of brutality next year, and they’ve finally announced the date and location of their birthday bonanza(are the B’s annoying you yet?)! The band stated:
“Well, after meeting a lot of people and looking for suitable clubs, we’ve finally found a great venue along with some like-minded people to host the Bolty Birthday Bash – BOLTFEST.
It will be held at the prestigious HMV Forum in London, on Saturday 7th April 2012 (Easter Bank Holiday weekend).
More info on tickets, bands, etc. coming soon.”
Better book those plane tickets quick, Boltheads! This is sure to be an event you won’t want to miss out on.
Not to be confused with the bizarre Aussie black metal contingent with which this Washington band shares their album title, Infernal Legion go far out of their way to prove that American death metal can indeed provide plenty of original and, of course, brutal thrills for a discerning metal audience.
Bursting out through the starting gate with a bright and energetic production, the guitars here on The Spear of Longinus practically possess the listener with a frenetic fury; harboring a Bolt Thrower bluster while also nodding firmly in the direction of America’s own Immolation in term of complex, Satanically oriented arrangement. What separates Infernal Legion from many of their peers, however, is the inclusion of demonic melody in the mix.
The guitars of Doug Stern and Eric Armstrong are very much in psychic tune with each other, ripping out memorable melodies with as much ease as they do kill-riffs du jour. The effect overall is somewhat similar to the Southern death squadron of Arghoslent, in that these melodic sections campaign with a vicious sense of pride and epic glory. In other words: don’t think Gothenburg. Instead, Infernal Legion manage to sound just as well put together as their European countrymen, while also possessing the intense, berserk rage of America’s most lethal death metal tendencies.
Although Finland’s Decaying seem to have all their papers in order when it comes to old school, dyed-in-the-wool death metal worship, the thin production and clicky, mechanical drums do quite a bit to castrate the obvious power lurking withing the band’s songwriting.
It seems as if Decaying knew this already, as the band seem to have enlisted the services of a real drummer for future recordings. This is a very good thing, for Devastate is otherwise on target when it comes to balancing Bolt Thrower and Asphyx styled blast with the simplified and straight forward attack of vintage Stockholm Swe-death like Grave or early Tiamat.
Yes, that trudging doom style of Sumerian Cry is here in full effect, as is the screaming guitars and deep, hollow-sounding vocals so intrinsic to this genre’s success. I can almost taste how much the band’s sophomore effort is bound to improve upon this template contained within Devastate, especially if Decaying can enlist a producer who can lift the band’s arrangements with a thick ‘n massive production.
Unfortunately for Decaying, that will be their second album. As it stands now, Devastate only hints loud and clear the promise which lies beneath the surface. Bring on the real drums, and we should see some wicked improvement. Looking forward to it.
Sanguis Imperem-In Glory We March Towards Our Doom (Hell’s Headbangers)
The Hell’s Headbangers label has been known to specialize in some of the most brutal, blasphemic and badass metal around, with California’s Sanguis Imperem serving as no exception.
Rather than embodying a laid back, West Coast positivity, this martial quartet unleash some unabashed hatred and violence here on In Glory We March Towards Our Doom, their first impressive full length. The level of aggression here is almost uncontrollable at times, bringing to mind fist-pumping memories of first time Bolt Thrower listens, as well as the wild, unpredictable nature of the barbaric Australian scene.
Indeed, there aren’t that many dissimilarities between Sanguis Imperem and their friends/fiends down under like Abominator and Bestial Warlust, with SI’s attack sounding only a bit more controlled and focused than their feral brothers-in-arms. It also must be noted how well structured the songs are here, considering how relentlessly brutal and chaotic they are overall. There’s a level of tunefulness which marks Sanguis Imperem as a unit which actually think out their assaults before taking on an enemy-for a Stateside reference, think the controversial American death squad Arghoslent-rather than charging blindly head-on into an ambush.
No, In Glory We March Towards Our Doom is a calculated strike which serves Sanguis Imperem quite well for the future, if this is any yardstick to measure-good job, gents.
This artwork made me go what the f$% is that when I first saw it. It is by Rob "Mid" Middleton
Famous author Oscar Wilde once remarked that “Ambition is the last refuge of failure.” I often find myself reminded of this quote (an all other things Wilde) when thinking of bands with sky high expectations. As humans we foist unrealistic demands on each other, only to be crushed and left angry later. This is no different for artists as well (Wilde was likely addressing them directly). Sometimes groups live up to the lofty bar we wish them to reach and sometimes they die trying. Lucky for LANDMINE MARATHON death is off the table when it concerns their career or their terrific new album Gallows. Not only dies it live up to the hype, it will cement their status act as one of the best groups in modern metal.
Right from the first second of the album when a whammy-bar horse squeal in the style of DIMEBAG DARRELL/EDDIE VAN HALEN announces the opening track “Three Snakes Leaves”, they are not playing around. A death and blackened thrash metal workout of a song follows and I couldn’t help but head bang along to the furious beat. As always Grace Perry’s insane death metal snarl buoys the track. Her voice is razor sharp to match her lyrics and delivery. Andy York, the newest member of the group just beats the piss out of his drums with blazing double kick-work and super fills. Halfway through the song dueling guitar solos of Ryan Butler and Dylan Thomas (I was just talking about writers a minute ago, right?) are melodic, tight and full of fire. Butler produced the album which speaks even more volumes about his talent. With no let up in their sights, “Cutting Flesh and Bone” is another slab of outrageous riffitude and histrionic screaming. Perry’s voice is very consistent and while she doesn’t display a huge variation in her movements, she is crisp and deep with her growls at all times. The coda of the song has a bit of a Chris Adler/LAMB OF GOD feel to that I rather like. “Knife From My Sleeve” starts with a chilling death march beat and an equally deadly yowl from Perry. I can’t say enough times how she has topped all of her previous work on this record. Slow and hypnotic at the start, only the harmonizing of the guitar leads provides any hint of light in the dampened, grim mood. Then the song is set off with the whip crack beat and back to the furious tempos. Then in the perfect throwback to old-school death metal (think OBITUARY, MALEVOLENT CREATION and LM heroes BOLT THROWER) we return to the doom riffs of the intro for guitar hero worship time before fast forwarding to a blast beat tornado of an ending. “Liver and Lungs” is also chock full of speedy chord changes and aggression. Firing on all cylinders seems to be the speed the band shines brightest, so why not keep going to the well? I say do it! Perry takes on a higher pitch scream at length for the first time on the record here and then downshifts back to the guttural bellows for contrast. The breakdown riff is pure SLAYER circa 1985, which I personally would never complain about. “Dead Horses” might be the top track on this album after “Knife…”. They just kill it in every facet of the song that is possible. York might really have been the missing link for the band, judging from his unconscious performance. I can’t wait to see him live. Every single cut has something ear-catching and impressive. The riffs are rough enough for the tough-guy mosh ninjas, but tech enough for the nerds yet still true enough for purists to like them. “Cloaked in Red” is another song bowing at the altar of SLAYER by way of modern European blackened death metal. Further sonic assault and battery comes by way of “Beaten and Left Blind”. Another killer breakdown is sure to signal the point in their show after which soft kids can pick their front teeth off the floor. I would also be remiss to mention this song has by my count the fifth or sixth awesome guitar solo. Yep, you have received confirmation that lead guitar is still cool and not just for the neo-thrash kids. The last track “Morbidity” is a fitting title for the closing out an album like this. More classic sounding motifs crush your head in their vise-like grip of awesomeness. One grip I have is the brevity of the album, at a touch under thirty minutes. That and I’d like to hear the bass work from Matt Martinez higher up in the mix. Still, it’s nice to see this band live up to and catapult over the bright shine of attention’s spotlight.
LANDMINE MARATHON: meeting and defeating high expectations.
Louisiana’s own Excommunicated have their own, atmospheric take on death metal locked down, reverberating loudly beyond the boundaries self-set by most of their genre contemporaries.
One of the reasons why Skeleton Key succeeds is because of this open-mindedness to other genres, specifically traditional metal, a la classic Mercyful Fate and King Diamond. Of course, given the fact that Diamond/ex-Death axe legend Andy LaRoque guests on this record, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, yet Excommunicated manage to make each note count on this collection, with Skeleton Key coming across as well-written and conceptualized debut.
Meanwhile, the growling guest vocals of Acheron’s Vincent Crowley add to the band’s old school death metal cred, making sure that no one forgets exactly where Excommunicated are coming from here: brutal, old school death metal. The effect overall isn’t too far off from an atmospheric Bolt Thrower at times, perhaps blending a bit with the chaos of old school Morbid Angel, particularly on a song like “Minutes of the Corpse Trials.” The driving double bass of ex-Arsis, Malevolent Creation and Borkangar session man David Kinkade also hammers home the band’s down home songwriting, sounding organic and un-clicky enough to cement Excommunicated as a rising band to watch amongst the underground hordes.
Although Arizona’s Landmine Marathon have had a solid buzz on them going for a few years now, the overall feeling here with the quintet is one of anticipation; waiting for that one album to truly capture the band at their unequivocal best, and shoot them into the extreme metal stratosphere.
While Gallows still isn’t it, the band is getting ever closer to their goal of death/grind supremacy. Landmine Marathon haven’t released a bad album to date, luckily enough, and Gallows displays a marked improvement from last year’s Sovereign Descent in the songwriting and execution department. The eight songs contained here creak and lurch with malicious, old school death style and substance, bringing it back to the Stockholm sound of Entombed and Dismember with a thrashy-ass Americano twist.
If anything, it’s that elusive production value which has eluded Landmine Marathon thus far, with each LP-going back to their Wounded debut and Rusted Eyes Awake shotgun blast from 2008-failing a bit in capturing the band’s frenetic live presence. While this may seem like a backhanded compliment (and it is), the fact that Landmine have seen such positive, steady growth from album to album is a sure sign that the future looks bright for these menacing metal men and woman.
Speaking of which, kudos should indeed be tossed towards guitarists Dylan Thomas and Ryan Butler, and their honest sounding homage to that classic Bolt Thrower grind. There’s a palpable feeling of love and appreciation lurking within the grooves, anchored by the psychotic howling of front-crazy person Grace Perry. While it’s been endlessly noted by any straight dude with a pulse how drop dead Perry is to look at, we wouldn’t be talking further about Landmine if the vocalist couldn’t deliver the goods live and on record…which she certainly does, in spades.
Landmine Marathon remain, for better or worse, a live act at this point; a very strong metal band whose studio output is slowly but surely catching up to their manic ‘n electric presence on stage. That being said, Gallows is by far their most definitive metal statement to date, bringing the band that much closer to their ultimate goal of total destruction.
When DYING FETUS puts out a new album it isn’t a blip on the radar, it is a momentous event on the metal calendar. Even if said album is only a covers album with one new song on it, the gods of death metal demand your full attention like only a few others can. This isn’t their first rodeo so to speak since 2000′s Grotesque Impalement was mostly covers. However, this time they have outdone themselves. Celebrating nearly twenty years as a band in 2011, they have put together a collection of their favorite, most inspirational tracks. Although cover songs are as common as the cold these days, when a legendary band covers other legendary bands, you have the makings of a truly special special release.
Starting things off with a tight and sick cover of DEHUMANIZED’s classic “Fade Into Obscurity” the band sounds great. The song is already so heavy and with John Gallagher and Sean Beasley’s vocals on it is is even more so. Gallagher also lays down an exquisite guitar solo too. Just face ripping greatness. Next they take on a cover of NAPALM DEATH’s “Unchallenged Hate” and true school fans know that is a band close to DF’s black and gray hearts since they covered “Scum” on Purification Through Violence. As for their take on this new cover they definitely give the death/grindcore legends their due all while giving it a fully modern touch. The riffs are so killer it’s not really fair to other bands, especially in the hands of this band. As he does on every release, Trey Williams bludgeons his drum kit like it killed his momma, his girl and their baby. Williams continues to be the best thing to happen to the band since Beasley came into the fold. BROKEN HOPE is really underrated in my opinion and it is great to see them paid some respect. “Gorehog” is great traditional death metal song full of astounding harsh vocals and ridiculous musicianship. The mid-tempo stomp of the breakdown along with the amazing guitar solo is one of the highlights of the entire album. The lone new original on here “Rohypnol” is just classic sounding FETUS. Grindy riffs, growled/pig squealed vocals and a total bat shit crazy ending. Kinda made me wish I could get together my Wolfpack back together and go to Las Vegas. The next cover is a track by the venerable BOLT THROWER. “Unleashed Upon Mankind” is covered faithfully to the original like most of the tracks, but sounds like it could be their own song as well. The best song on here is the PESTILENCE cover, “Twisted Truth” just on the strength that DF has a lot of that great bands’ spirit in their music. Gallagher’s take on the complex and soulful guitar solos is awesome and inspired. Beasley and Williams especially shine here too. The last an obligatory CANNIBAL CORPSE favorite “Born in a Casket” sends things out with a bang. I’d love to hear on of these beauties live when the band plays The Summer Slaughter Tour. This album is a must have and will tide the heshers over until the next full length.
