For those of us in the industry that review albums regularly, you would have to say the first word that often comes to mind when discussing most bands and sub-genres is “retro”. New bands come a long in waves and mini-scenes, flooding our ears with styles that are all a throwback to some point in the distant past. There is a fine line between aping a few riffs and melodies in tribute, and letting an influence shine through in an original context. The problem with a lot of these new jack bands is they never rise above the imitation stage, providing the sonic nostalgia without the chops or the heart to make those sounds their own. I’m pleased to say that SISTER SIN is a band that graduated from the freshman class of a few years ago, and has come into their own as band of quality with something new to say.
In the ten years since forming in Gothenburg, Sweden and especially in the last few years since recording their last album, True Sound of The Underground (Victory), the band has grown a lot. Lots of bands are influenced by the glam rock and pomp of 80s bands like MÖTLEY CRÜE and RATT, but few take it to another level. What sets SISTER SIN apart is that they write honest, anthemic Rock songs that are not contrived sounding. After a first listen to the album they now have much more in common with a old-school JUDAS PRIEST and the NWOBHM than glam. Their album starts off with the sound track-esque “MMXI”, but quickly gives way to the raucous “End of the Line”. Sharp enough to headbang to during the verses, but then opens up with a fierce and catchy chorus. Obvious from the jump off, front woman Liv Jagrell continues her evolution as a powerhouse metal singer with this album. At just under four minutes, it is just about the perfect modern rock song with all of the old touches: shredding solo, gang vocals, cheering crowd and smashing drums. “Fight Song” has a bit of that old flavor of SISTER SIN collaborator and heroine of hard rock, DORO. Jimmy Hiltula’s guitars are strong throughout the record and rely a lot less on stock sounding riffs than before, showing off a maturity I think their fans will notice. “In It For Life” has a lot of character and roughness to it, similar to a late-era THIN LIZZY. Jagrell hold nothing back vocally and in spaces does a very nice job of showing off her improved melodic range. The solo is pure Phil Campbell style: sizzling! “Hearts of Cold” is another snarling rocker that I wish the legion of GUNS `N ROSES copycats would listen to. Liv comes out swinging like a young WENDY O WILLIAMS, and that is saying a lot! That’s how you do it folks. No b.s. Just Rock and Roll! Other top songs on the album are “The Chosen Few”, “Running Low” and “Shades of Black”. The surprising and well placed album closer is a lovely ballad. “Morning After” took me completely by surprise and shows of Jagrell in yet another interesting light, with her emotionally wrought performance as one of the best of the last year.
Spain’s ANGELUS APATRIDA return with The Call, it is their third album for Century Media. Although this thrash quartet has had their issues taking a stranglehold of their native Albacete, they have been slaying Spain, and audience member that stands in their way for years. This has lead them to open up for such groups as SLAYER, and MEGADETH, and their current jaunt with 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, GOATWHORE and HAVOK. They are the only band from Spain (in any genre) that can currently tour Europe, and I don’t mean a few dates in spread out here and there, check out the itinerary for the aforementioned tour that they’re currently a part of, and you’ll see that they’ll be all over the old continent during the next few months. There is a reason why the legendary David Ellefeson pulled the band aside, and encouraged them to take their talents stateside, as US audiences would without a doubt eat up what the band has to offer.
The Call is a natural progression for the band, it shows the band maturing, and evolving far beyond what they have done with their two previous outings Clockwork and Evil Unleashed. This by no means diminishes how good those albums are, it’s just that the band has taken great leap forward with The Call. The band has once again teamed back up with Clockwork producer Daniel. I had a chance to speak to lead singer Guillermo Izquierdo recently, and he mentioned that Daniel made it his mission to make The Call more than just another album. He took it upon himself to push the band, and make this not only the best album possible, but something very personal for him as well, something that is looked back as a defining moment for him as a producer.
The album starts off with the first single “You Are Next”, which coincides with a video game themed video that was released a few weeks ago. If you’ve followed the band at all, you’ll realize that Guillermo vocal style is completely different on this track, and throughout the album. On the band’s previous outings there is an undeniable resemblance to Dave Mustaine. With “You Are Next” he reminds me of Zetro, the former lead singer of EXODUS. You can still hear the Mustaine influence at times, but you can also hear a little Blitz from Overkill, a twinge of Phil Anselmo and shades of Rob Halford in a few spots. While speaking to me he admitted to Mustaine influence, and said “I didn’t want to keep doing Mustaine part 2, while writing the music, it was really calling me to go in a different direction with my vocals. So I naturally followed what seemed natural.” Couple that with Cardoso pushing, and constantly challenging the singer and you have the vocal performance that is displayed throughout the album.
But by listening to the album, you can see that Cardoso challenged the entire band to up their game. The other noticeable improvement is the precision of the rhythm section. Again, this isn’t knocking the band’s previous albums, but Victor Valera like a sharpshooter with his precision on the album. His playing is tighter than it has been on the previous albums; it is at a completely different level than it has been in the past. Bassist Jose J. Izquierdo locks everything down with and is up to the challenge to equal Valera’s playing. Again, the band’s influence can really be seen here with the two locking into place like the legendary combination of Menza and Ellefson. Realize that I’m saying like, not equal to or better than, I need to clarify that before anyone gets all upset over that previous statement.
I keep mentioning Guillermo’s singing, but his and Davish G. Alvarez guitar work has always set the band apart (in my mind) from other contemporary thrash bands. Their playing on this album not only contains their best work as a guitar tandem, but takes what they’ve done in the past and infuses it with other aspects of metal that you may not be accustomed to hearing from the band. This only enhances what they bring to the table with The Call.
Aside from the standard lead single, you’ll find “At The Gates of Hell”, which is like a locomotive building up steam before running you over. “Violent Dawn” which to me blends the cross-over greatness of D.R.I. with some riffing in the vein of SLAYER’s King and Hanneman. “It’s Rising” which offers which offers shades of Painkiller-esque JUDAS PRIEST and a solo outro reminiscent of the heyday of PANTERA. “Blood On The Snow” could have easily of been slotted in on Countdown To Extinction, while “Killer Instinct” is more in more influenced by Peace Sells. “The Hope Is Gone” has an aspect that previous albums did not contain, and that’s melody in band’s chorus. Ok, yes, they’ve had melody in the past, but not this well formed. The chorus of this track permeates your mind, and bounces around in it, in an infectious fashion. “Fresh Pleasure” is an ode to the connection between the crowd, the band, and a nice cold beer. “Still Corrupt” discusses topics that have been present since the origins of thrash, crooked politicians. “Reborn” is a track that really smacked me in the head when I first listened to it. This track to me is a real defining moment for the band, and when I heard it, I had to go back and give it a few more listens to almost believe the track was this good! This track closes the standard edition of the album up. It seems to be a statement by the band, as if to say, ok you’ve heard the album, now realize this is who we are, this is part of our evolution. This track is a full on metal song, with a catchy, infectious chorus that is perfect to hear a crowd at Download, Wacken, Uproar, etc. singing in unison with the band. The riffing is very matriculate, it isn’t full speed thrash, but it really grinds and pummels you from start to finish. As does the entire album, I mention these influences, but I do have to stress that it is all done in the bands own fashion, it isn’t a carbon copy of the band’s I’ve referenced, it is ANGELUS APATRIDA.
I’ve always been opposed to hearing bands cover well known songs. You have to A) have the sack to try and take on certain tracks B) do them well enough so that they aren’t laughable. ANGELUS APATRIDA has never shied away from covers, previously doing PANTERA’s “Domination” and IRON MAIDEN’s “Be Quick Or Be Dead”, and doing them well. This album is no different; they cover possibly my favorite JUDAS PRIEST song “Hell Patrol”, and man is it good! They do all of these covers in their own fashion, but in a way that still keeps the song connected faithfully to its original composition. This is truly a testament to the band’s musicianship, and their ability to pull the tracks off. The expanded edition wraps up with an updated take on a track that appeared on their 2007 album Give ‘Em War called “Free Your Soul”.
This album is recommended to anyone that remotely enjoys any of the bands I have mentioned in this review. On The Call ANGELUS APATRIDA brings old school thrash, and metal into the present, while applying their own ingredients, and making it all truly their own. See them on their current tour, or hopefully they’ll jump stateside shortly. The album is a digital only release in the states and comes out on May 8th.
Sometimes a band can be new to the public but, be blessed with a familiar sound or style. One such band is DAITRIBE, hailing from Chicago, IL. The band is led by guitarist Tristan “1690” Grigsby who besides being an accomplished shredder is best known from his appearances as part of the great PANTERA Home Videos (or DVD’s now) from the 1990s. In addition to appearing on several tributes to his fallen friend DIMEBAG DARRELL, Grigsby has put together a cool band and written a batch of tunes that call to mind the great power groove and thrash influenced metal of the decade before last. Another PANTERA association is the album was mixed by the bands’ famed producer/engineer and guitar tech Sterling Winfield.
The album opens up with “Betray”, a manic down tuned thrasher. The beats and riffs are really heavy and compliment the demented screaming of vocalist Rich Collins. When the breakdown comes up, a brief but tasty solo section comes in for Grigsby to work his magic. The last third of the song slows down the pace to an AIC like groove that I really liked. “Control” ups the ante considerably and is an aggro workout with chunky riffs and more harrowed vocal wailing. Collins sounds to me a lot like old-school Pete Dolving of THE HAUNTED, just straddling the line between metal and hardcore vocals. The chorus is pretty decent and will have people singing a long live. Grigsby let’s another lead fly and has a really neo-classical flare at times. There is a definite nod to DIMEBAG in his style, especially his use of double tracking leads. “Loss By Distance” starts off with some ethereal sound effects, but then delves in to mid-90s FEAR FACTORY style machine gun riffs and tight drumming. Grigsby’s brother Michael handles the job behind the kit and does a fine job. The drumming on this track is among the best on the album. The band does a very good job of balancing older influences, but keeping up with modern metal sensibilities like LAMB OF GOD or UNEARTH would do. “My Eyes” has kind of a modern, heavy rock/arena metal sound to it and could be a surprise hit for the band. Neat grooves and some singing by Collins make for a catchy, solid tune. Bassist Ricky Riccardo lays down some cool mellow lines that help the track along. “Sanctuary” starts off like a gentle ballad, but then has an anthem like feeling not unlike JUDAS PRIEST or IRON MAIDEN. The single “I Hate Me” is another ripping jam. The band does a good job with pedal to the metal, straight-ahead licks with a bit of flare to them, but doesn’t throw in too many unexpected twists and turns. The chorus has yet another scream-along part that would be fun in a live setting. “Crime Legacy” is an interesting cut which rages most of the way until a chill breakdown switches things up. Other top tracks include “False Hopes” and “Liar Messiahs”. You can get the record directly from the band here.
Of all of the old-school metal revivalists 3 INCHES OF BLOOD might have the most credibility of anyone. Emerging half a decade ago from Vancouver, BC the band hung their hat on a mix of New Wave of British Heavy Metal stalwarts like JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN with an added kick of Bay Area Thrash. This potent mix, plus a no nonsense approach to writing and intense live performances have earned the band a strong following. However, they are a bit hard to rate for me. On one hand they write fun, cheesy and occasionally great power metal songs. They are really entertaining to a certain segment of metal fans. On the other hand they are never going to be thought of as a band that sounds better than a collection of great sounding influences. Still, there is a power in knowing what your band is and is not. You will certainly be hearing a lot from them in 2012 as they are participating in The Metal Alliance Tour this spring.
Right from the first notes of “Metal Woman” the music is just as epic as you would expect. The band excels at writing anthemic odes to all of metals’ splendor and greatness with the same zeal AMON AMARTH writes about Vikings or CANNIBAL CORPSE writes about serial murderers. Devil horn worthy riffs open the track before gurgling bass and drums beat out an insane rhythm to mosh two. When singer Cam Pipes unleashes his first wailing scream it is godly sounding. With the timbre of a ROB HALFORD and the passion of a RONNIE JAMES DIO, Pipes delivers the goods with style. The track is a tribute of metal women fans everywhere and is already a crowd pleaser live as you would imagine. Second track “My Sword Will Not Sleep” is equally rocking and has some killer riffs. Some of the bands chugging chords and intense beats call to mind early METALLICA or OVERKILL at times. The band does a nice job of changing keys and licks early and often to keep things interesting. There is a bit of a return to the growling vocals from guitarist Justin Hagberg too on a few tracks. The ending jam in double-time is killer sounding and really exciting. “Leather Lord” is another top track with impossibly high singing from Pipes. The breakdown of this tune is a modern take on MAIDEN with bombastic emotions and great musicianship. Hagberg and his axeman in crime Shane Clark craft great licks and leads with tons of classic sounding harmony lines. After the mellow instrumental “Chief and the Blade” comes “Dark Messenger” which might be the best song on this album. It has everything you want from the band and more. Unintentionally “Look Out” reminded me of HENRY ROLLINS’ comic send up of the late Mr. DIO, but in a sweet way. The middle keyboard/guitar solo part is right out of 1975, but it works. “4000 Torches” has more cool guitar jammage to enjoy. Drummer Ash Pearson and new bassist Byron Stroud (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD/ex-FEAR FACTORY/CITY OF FIRE) hold it down rock solid so the guitarists and Mr. Pipes can wail over every song. Stroud joined up recently and his addition makes sense since he also manages the group. Other standout tracks are “Leave It On The Ice” and the impressive “Men Of Fortune”. If you love songs that are all about the story of metal, you will love this band.
Iron Man by Tony Iommi with T.J. Lammers (Da Capo Press)
Few other names in all of metal have the same importance as the name IOMMI. As the architect and soul of the sounds of BLACK SABBATH Tony Iommi practically invented the sound of metal music. This fact isn’t really up for debate. Iommi has seen it all, done it all and managed to still be standing tall after more than forty years in a career that is the stuff of legend. The toll of the journey and the mostly positive outcome is reflected in the books title Iron Man: My Journey Through HEAVEN AND HELL with BLACK SABBATH. As the book recounts, often in deep detail the back story of some of the most crucial times in not just metal history, but music history too.
Told in the laid-back manner you would expect, Iommi recounts the history of his early life in Birmingham UK, the formation of BLACK SABBATH and other tales. In spite of his (and everybody’s) copious drug use he has some surprising recall about events that have happened. Some of the stories are famous and well known and others not so much. Iommi does not look at the world through his purple-lensed glasses or another other color for that matter. He often paints himself in an unflattering light when he feels he deserves it and reflects back in time with brutal honesty. The 1970′s are definitely recalled as more wild than you have ever heard or dreamed. Perhaps like no one has yet to do in a book, Iommi recounts the entire history of BLACK SABBATH: all of the ups, the down and the in-betweens. He takes you to the low points of OZZY leaving SABBATH, coming back and what led to his eventual firing. Then he goes into great depth and insight about RONNIE JAMES DIO and his importance of reinvigorating the band and the brand. I learned things about DIO I never knew, which was great. All in all IOMMI recounts his friendships through stories involving LED ZEPPELIN, EMERSON LAKE AND PALMER, DEEP PURPLE, RICK WAKEMAN of YES, EDDIE VAN HALEN (whom is still a personal friend of his) JUDAS PRIEST, FRANK ZAPPA, GLENN HUGHES and many other classic bands. Covering the more recent years he discusses his IOMMI record, charity work and all of the current rank and file of metal stars who have befriended him and he appreciates them as well. Besides revealing his feelings about things like OZZFEST and the 1990′s SABBATH reunions with Ozzy he goes especially deep about the reformation of the DIO lineup, HEAVEN AND HELL; the highs of making new music and tours and the eventual illness and death of DIO which was heart breaking. He also talks about other fallen friends of his like COZY POWELL, DIMEBAG DARRELL and PETER STEELE as well.
Perhaps most surprising is IOMMI’s frankness when discussing his personal life. Ever the epitome of the buttoned up, classy and restrained British gentleman, he is not shy about talking about very intimate events of his life. He discussed his excessive drug use (although he claims he always felt responsible not to do more than the other in SABBATH), his workaholic nature that cost him his early marriages and his relationships with his children. Great detail was given about the extent of his recent hand injury that could have ended his career. He calls his current wife Maria (formerly Sjöholm, of DRAIN S.T.H.), the love of his life. It’s good to see Tony in a happy place in life as he looks back and he considers the future, including the possibility of anther BLACK SABBATH reunion to be wide open. A must have for fans and a great read for others interested in the history of rock and metal.
Making it ten years at anything has to be considered an achievement of sorts in these mediocre days of our times. So much more so in the music business which is sounding a death rattle louder and louder everyday. San Diego, CA natives AS I LAY DYING came on the scene ten years ago just as metalcore was hitting its stride. they have managed to be successful, build a fan base, tour relentlessly and remain largely consistent year after year against tall odds. To celebrate this milestone they have released Decas as a compilation release with some new songs, covers and remixes by some interesting names. These types of releases are usually aimed at loyal fans who crave some cool extra tracks by the bands they love and sometimes uncover some other cool little gems. Let’s get in to it!
The first three tracks are brand new songs that fit right in with the bands repertoire. “Paralyzed” has a ferocious beat, patented double-kick accented chugging riffs and great vocals. I did think one of the riffs in the verse sounds an awful lot like “Sober” by TOOL, but hey if you are going to emulate, emulate the best. The blend between harsh lead vocalist Tim Lambesis and bassist Josh Gilbert’s clean vocals has never sounded better to my ears. Next track “From Shapeless to Breakable” is a speedy thrash and death metal inspired cut with some interesting beats from drummer Jordan Mancino. There are also some really sick and impressive riffs on this cut. Nick Hipa and Phil Sgrosso always provide a bounty of cool riffs and enjoyable parts. The last of the new tracks is “Moving Forward” which is the most straight-up and typical song of the three. Sort of a metal core, power ballad if you will, it is and interesting track, not my favorite. It does have a nice guitar solo from Hipa to learn on. Then perhaps the surprise of the album follows next in the cover songs. The bands take on “War Ensemble” by SLAYER is awesome! Super fast and super heavy. This was a pleasant surprise and even through the song itself is a little played out normally- it is cool to see this band display their SLAYER love. Even better are the JUDAS PRIEST covers “Hellion” and “Electric Eye”. Not only is their rendition of “Electric Eye” spirited and cool, Lambesis makes no attempt to ape the memorable Rob Halford high scream. He just bellows these beastly low end growls and I really enjoyed it. Gilbert covers the melodies, but the heavy screaming makes the song. There is a slight breakdown added, but it doesn’t take away from the song. The last cover is the DESCENDANTS “Coffee Mug” which had me grinning like a bastard. It was forty seconds of perfect punk greatness! An odd track is the re-recorded medley of “Beneath The encasing” which was nice and heavy, but likely a treat only for the die-hards. Then the last quarter of the album are comprised of remixes. Flirting with the ever popular dub-step movement, songs like “The Blinding of False Light” remixed by INNERPARTYSYSTEM or “Wrath Upon Ourselves” as done over by Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) are interesting to say the least. It’s definitely a different flavor and the band has never been trend hoppers so I don’t have a problem with the amount of experimentation on this kind of release. Weinman’s take is definitely the most inventive and different while the remaining tracks take on a rave party-type element. This is a nice release for completists and definitely worth a few bucks for the new tracks and covers espeically.
Congrats to AS I LAY DYING on making it ten years in the game!
With the announcement of the beginning of the end of the institution of heavy metal that is the name JUDAS PRIEST means a barrage of special releases, box sets and non-stop (for the time being) tours. The question that the new release The Chosen Few begs is does “the PRIEST” really need another best-of collection? The answer is yes! Allowing some of their peers, including legends in their own right such as OZZY, LEMMY, ALICE COOPER, Lars and James from METALLICA, GEEZER BUTLER, SLASH, KERRY KING, DAVID COVERDALE as well as some more recent heroes of rock and metal was a clever move. To cull these tracks together to comprise at greatest hits collection is fresh and more than a novelty idea. It actually reinforces the legacy of this music and puts these old gems somewhat under a new light based on who is doing the selecting.
The tracks are arranged in chronological order of when they came out and highlight many of the bands most expressive tracks. Beginning with my personal favorite JP song, their cover of “Diamonds and Rust’ as chosen by Joe Elliott, the concept of the collection is clear from the beginning. The goal is to not only honor the band, but to also draw a thread of influence back to the artists that chose the track. Elliott is notable since in their early days DEF LEPPARD was widely considered “the next JUDAS PRIEST” by many until sugary pop songs and slick production derailed their more metal leanings. Next up was “Dissident Aggressor” as selected by shred king STEVE VAI. The track is certainly known for its striking riffs and soloing and makes sense that Vai would endorse it. The early tracks falling all in succession really tell the story of how influential PRIEST really was for their time. When you hear “Exciter” as chosen by ACCEPT you can understand how every part of the track really shifted the paradigm musically from mere rock music to the NWOBHM style. It makes sense that Lars Ulrich would choose “Beyond the Realms of Death” since as a teen in Denmark he saw the early lineup of the band many times. Unabashed fanatic KERRY KING chose “Delivering The Goods”. SLAYER has covered the band many times themselves. Tracks like “The Ripper” as chosen by OZZY or “Rapid Fire” as chosen by VINNY PAUL of PANTERA and HELLYEAH fame proves the lasting, generational appeal of the band. Of the more modern artists who selected the tracks like RANDY BLYTHE, ZAKK WYLDE and COREY TAYLOR, it was SLASH who set himself apart with particular distinction. He put it best when he said his “all-time favorite record is Screaming For Vengeance. It was and still is, one of the best metal records ever produced and the title track is in my humble opinion, still ahead of its time.” I couldn’t agree more. Obviously loyal collectors will want this CD, but I also think this would make a great introduction to the band for the novice fan as well.
Monument of Metal: The Very Best of ANVIL (The End Records)
Drummer Robb Reiner painted the cover art work, as seen in ANVIL: The Story of Anvil
Riding high of late, ANVIL has a new retrospective. These have been interesting times for the Ontario, Canada based band since the 2009 documentary ANVIL: The Story of Anvil. They have seen their album worked on in the movie widely released, toured the world at a much more professional and regular clip and released a decent new album in Juggernaut of Justice a few months back. Now comes a deluxe greatest hits package with re-recorded, live or remastered versions. While this is a no brainer purchase for their fan base, will the recent renewed interest help new fans find the band as much more than a novelty? Let’s find out!
The first good move was that the collection is not just from the early days, but celebrates their entire career. The songs were hand picked personally by the band, this is the best representation ever of the group’s history. These tracks are also indicative of the bands versatility of style be it proto-thrash, heavy metal or rock. When This Is Thirteen was re-released by VH1 in conjunction with the film the band re-recorded new updated versions of their classics and some of these like the bands biggest hit “Metal On Metal” sound terrific. The guitars snarl and cut through the speakers with a punch they never had on cassette and you can really here Robb Reiner’s pummeling drum strokes cut right through the din as well. However, if all the band had was one great song this collection wouldn’t be much of a collection now would it? “Winged Assassins” is a killer track from Forged In Fire. Insane riffage and furious sounds with all the touch stones of early thrash/NWOBHM music in place. This is followed by the more recent “666” which is one of the fastest and heaviest anthems the band has ever made. “Thumbhang” is next. The song was first talked about in the film as a forgotten jam and it is really cool to hear it fully realized now. The BLACK SABBATH doom meets classic metal sound here is great, as is Glenn Five’s bass licks. The Steve “Lipps” Kudrow signature lead guitar sound and choice sense of humor are still there after all this time. “School Love” and “Heat Sink” are more in line with the band’s early KISS and IRON MAIDEN fascinations with the latter being the better of the two. Then there is my favorite song by the band “March of The Crabs”. “March….” even as an instrumental is on par with all of the best early thrash anthems and that includes the mighty American Big Four as well. Lipps was ahead of the pack as a lead guitarist for his generation. A powerful and emotional song with excellent riffs and beats. “Plenty of Power” is another riff-fest in the JUDAS PRIEST mold while “Mothra” is another cool old school jam. The updated (1989) version of “Jackhammer” is miles above the original Metal On Metal version, where it was one of the better tracks back then. The title track off of Juggernaut of Justice still hasn’t sold me more since the early summer, but perhaps a stronger choice might have been “Swing Thing” or “When All Hell Breaks Loose”. The rest of the collection ranges from great: “Sins of The Flesh”, “Mad Dog”, “Fire In The Night” and “Park That Truck” to just okay songs like “Bottom Feeder”. Still, if you don’t know the band beyond the film and their “hits”, this is a fine entry point to a deeper listen that will give you insight into music that has sustained for over thirty years.
Charred Walls of the Damned-Cold Winds on Timeless Days (Metal Blade)
I’ll fully cop to totally missing the boat on Charred Walls of the Damned. It was if I had permanent earmuffs attached to my ears right around the time this project from Richard Christy, Steve DiGiorgio-both of Death-and former Priest frontman Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens first hit the shelves with their self-titled debut from 2010.
Whether it was the trepidation over their somewhat silly name or just the simple fact that about 27223928078 different metal albums are released every day, Cold Winds On Timeless Days is my first experience with Charred Walls of the Damned. While I’m not exactly kicking myself over prior ignorance, this sophomore effort does come out kicking and screaming with “Timeless Days,” an epic amalgamation of Christy’s precise drumming-actually sounding a bit restrained compared to his work on Death’s Sound of Perseverance swansong-Owen’s soaring screech and DiGiorgio’s expansive bass playing.
The real star of the show is the guitar work of Jason Suecof, however, which comes across as decidedly tasteful and melodic most of the time, while presenting just enough heaviness to push this traditional-minded metal over the cliff into slightly extreme thrash territory. Suecof’s production also does Cold Winds some excellent favors, achieving an excellent balance of dynamic and flavor. Composition-wise, however, Charred Walls of the Damned never quite scale the same heights as “Timeless Days,” with many songs here blending into one another, without much deviation or real identity, other than above-average, involved metal.
“Cold Winds” ups the ante a bit more-evoking a similarly electric vibe as the album’s opener-but overall, it’s tough to really claim that Cold Winds on Timeless Days sticks with the listener on anything other than a smile-and-nod, superficial level. In other words, it’s pretty good, but not going to go down as a minor classic or anything-just workmanlike metal goodness.
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED will celebrate the release of ‘Cold Winds On Timeless Days’ on October 11th, as part of our monthly METAL ARMY NIGHT in NYC. ALL SHALL PERISH will also be on hand after their show in the city and we’ll have free beer from PBR (while supplies last). However, I digress… CWOTD has become one of the only epic, power-ish metal bands that I listen to these days. In a scene that’s unbearably corny and forgettable, CWOTD sticks out as incredible songwriters and musicians.
Now, they are set to unleash their sophomore album for Metal Blade on October 11th and we have a taste of what the album sounds like. Below, you will find a song called “Ashes Falling Upon Us” and it sounds fucking killer! Make sure you get to Idle Hands on the night of the 11th to celebrate the release with members of the band and all of the other cool shit we have planned!
