Album Review: Slayer - Reign In Blood

Slayer - Reign In Blood

Def Jam Recordings - 1986

9/10

The recent film known as Backrooms might be one of the most interesting movies to come out in several years, if for no other reason than its falling action. It wraps up its plot by suggesting distortions of banal objects of life as slight jogs in memory, representing the way the mind often chooses how to remember something, be it from a narrative, trauma, or weird facets of nostalgia. It seems that in the now forty years since Slayer's Reign In Blood hit the market, people who were around for it or retrospectively look back to their discovery of it see it as something different than what it really is, which I posit is around a narrative of one of two things. Either the entire thing is non-memorable and just focuses on extreme speeds in exchange for songwriting, save for the bookends, or it's an unstoppable force of aggression that sidestepped even Hell Awaits and paved the path for death metal.

I think both takes are absurd. It really isn't that deep.

Prior to its release, the Bay Area giants had already been crafting thrash metal with extreme speed, ghastly delivery, and horrific subject matter around Satan, Hell, death, and torment. The only thing that really divorces Reign In Blood on a structural level from its predecessors is its more refined production, and swift songwriting. Indeed, only three tracks surpass the three minute mark, and two of them are the classic bookenders that everyone gives a pass when analyzing the record. But I shrewdly reject that the meat of the album is either completely forgettable or taken to a new level. Instead, Slayer's third record is simply an evolution of what they've been doing, landing at the right place at the right time.

And that very thing is no-frills thrash metal. While often played fast, the genre doesn't necessarily have to follow the speed metal template in all of its songs. Much of this record is built with a very sturdy, intentional foundation of swift transitions, catchy rhythms, compelling vocal delivery, and perhaps most importantly, remarkable timing. Extreme speeds, like in any record of the more aggressive thrash type, are merely an ingredient, even if some songs drive with that more than others. If there's anywhere this comes off as a fault, it might be in King's solos, as many of them blitz through with seemingly little rhyme or reason, failing to match the compelling nature of the crushing riffs, or Tom's equally menacing outbursts.

We'll start first with "Criminally Insane," likely my favorite song on the record. A steady drive makes up almost all of this song's genius, cramming several phases into less than three minutes' time that I seldom see pulled off so well. Lombardo's simple drum-echo leading into the also simple rhythm breaks perfectly into the faster meat of the song, before returning to this for its "take your fuckin' life!" bridge. In other words, the speeds almost acted as a cover for a thicker impact that sticks in my head more than any other on the record. Of course, opener "Angel Of Death" is an obvious one, which also breaks in on some of the fastest speeds on the record. But the truth is, like with "Criminally Insane," the song's apex is the slow center that carries with concise riffing and poetic snarl that perfectly paints the horrific images of human experimentation; think of it as the abdomen of the song's proverbial body. Following "Piece By Piece" may be even more impressive in that vocally, it's one of the most comprehensible songs to be found, contrasting the breakneck rhythms nicely.

Such genius placement is found all over the place. "Alters Of Sacrifice" into "Jesus Saves" are an incredible center-piece, with the former yet again slowing down with purpose as a pummeling echo of its fast intro, letting the latter build gradual suspense before ripping into its otherwise simpler second half. "Postmortem" is another fun one, sometimes getting the same pass that "Raining Blood" gets, perhaps thanks to its thunderous move into that song's airy intro, but even ignoring that, "Raining Blood" really just adopts the same tactic of slow introduction, gradual build, and extreme frenzy inspired by the steadier riff. But I probably prefer "Postmortem" if for no other reason than the majority of it allows Tom's vocals to shine brighter than anywhere else, coinciding wonderfully with Hanneman's more precise ear.

All this leaves us with is three fillers, admittedly the more "forgettable" ones, which is what hurts this album more than some of the other classics. "Necrophobic" is possibly the one exception I'll lend to the randomness narrative, as the sub-two minute track quite literally does just feel like speed for speed's sake exercise, save for the last, what, ten seconds? "Reborn" and "Epidemic" are also underwhelming amidst the rest, representing a slight drop-off on the B-side before closing with menacing fervor. But with all of this said, I don't think any of them are bad, just far easier to overlook. At least they still fit the general vibe, utilizing the same type of layout with perhaps a little less magic.

Those three songs are likely what I owe the crux of how Reign In Blood is often remembered to. For some reason, it's like every song with obvious intent and careful placement, despite pacing nuances and poetic flow, get overlooked or lumped in with those. Or, they all just simply get a pass because "fuckin' Slayer!" and the speeds helped pave the path for more extreme genres. I don't buy it; I won't pretend that it's all listener error, or a lack of attention to detail, because for some of us, this style just doesn't quite land. But at the end of the day, I really don't think it's that deep. This was another thrash metal record, that continued the extreme speeds, crushing atmosphere, and jarring lyrics that had been around since Venom and Motorhead kicked things up a notch, and it landed at the right place at the right time. Additionally, most of the songs are just that fucking good! It isn't the extreme speeds that simply made (or didn't deserve) the impact, it's the songwriting, and the song delivery, in the same year that Metallica was taking the world by storm. Far simpler than we're ready to admit, it seems.

Album Review: Volbeat - Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood

Volbeat - Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood

Mascot Records - 2008

9/10

From time to time, I'll come across a band that manages to sell me more on their radio-legacy era than their earlier metal roots, being the opposite situation of what most metal enjoyers find themselves in. Denmark's Volbeat is one of those bands for me, as the groovy and pummeling grit of The Strength, The Sound, The Songs and its follow up do little for me save for a a few songs here and there. Perhaps owing to the awkwardness that may come from transitioning out of a now defunct death metal band's remnants, it would take three or four albums before Michael Poulson and co. found their footing. With that said, I find the first hint at what they wanted to be all about to be among some of their finest work, that being the third record titled Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood.

Considering the lyrical themes, album title, and artistic style, it became clear that it's this point in the game that Volbeat wanted to aim for that Cash-Metallica-Danzig hybrid that centers around storytelling and quasi-western energy. While hinted at before, things solidify here thanks to warmer guitar tones and a cleaner production that still prioritizes meaty rhythms and a powerful delivery. Much of the latter is owed to Poulson's signature bolt, but equally this contributes to the emotional pull and honest depth that goes into the structures, despite how simplistic they often are. The end result winds up being something that sounds awfully generic and gimmicky on paper (which would sneak up on them after a few mainstream albums) but at this stage truly feels refreshing and refined.

For the most part, that's thanks to the balance we find between the muscular oomph and the soothing clarity on the more emotional tracks. "Back To Prom" may be one of my favorite songs the band ever did, not even clocking in at two minutes but still driving strong melodies and convincing riffs under an otherwise melancholic and nostalgic vibe. Actually, reflections on a time well remembered seem to poke through pretty frequently on this record, tapped into nicely in the acoustic sadness of "We," and perhaps in a more energetic way on "Maybelline I Hofteholder." Hell, even the cover of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" seeps into the cracks so organically that what could have been disastrous winds up working beautifully. 

Of course, Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood still holds plenty of meanness to represent its id. The band's first big hit "Still Counting" showcases this wonderfully, due to its seemingly harmless intro breaking into a furious rhythm that would fit right into a thrash metal record. Similarly, "Hallelujah Goat" rides on this same energy, and the title track opens things up with a shady attitude that sets the scene quite nicely. There is some obvious filler that holds this back just a tad bit, as cutting a track or two could have made things slightly less overblown, but not a note feels as though it's out of place or completely unflattering.

Thus, I like to see Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood as a happy accident that gets overshadowed by everything around it. Its predecessors are often the only records a mainstream hater will bother with, while its follow-ups could almost be called "metal for people who don't like metal." Between the two is this gem, one that utilizes the western vibes without overdoing it, keeps the simplicity without going stale, and cakes on emotion without compromising the heavy bottom. The littlest shift in the wrong direction could have ruined everything, but whether intentional or not, Volbeat got it right this time. If you only listen to one of their albums, let it be this.

Album Review: Satan's Fall - Destination Destruction

Satan's Fall - Destination Destruction

Steamhammer - 2023

8/10

It's always fun to find what appears to be a good old throwback band in heavy metal's most population-dense country. Satan's Fall come from Finland, having held that name for about a decade and some lore prior to that as well. But it would be the album that flew under my radar a few years back that snagged my interest. Destination Destruction swept my attention from album art alone, if not for the band's name.

As quick as it may be to call them a throwback band, despite all of what would seem like obvious nods, Satan's Fall actually does little in the realm of capturing a classic feel. It would be more apt to describe them as falling into the more power metal oriented sphere, if anything throwing back perhaps to the '90s European sound while avoiding too many bells and whistles. Yet, the cleanliness in their delivery is pristine, matching the revival era of Judas Priest in tone and song structure. The outcome of their sophomore thus winds up being something that's caught between a throwback and a modern spin.

How this lands depends entirely on your mood. Frankly, I think the better numbers are the ones that dodge falsettos in exchange for catchier melodies and warmer flanks to do the lifting, like in "Garden Of Fire." Similarly, the near epic "Monster's Ball" slows things down and cools the jets to a point that's almost soothing while still fitting in. I also can't pretend that some songs don't strike this balance right in the middle, as "Swines For Slaughter" kicks out aggressive falsettos in an almost welcoming way. Its beefy leads certainly elevate it, and I could say the same effects are achieved in closer "Dark Star" opting for a oceanic flow from its guitars.

Ultimately, Destination Destruction is a sturdy and strong release that definitely requires a specific taste for melody and cleanliness that can be too much to some, but is helped by strong writing and compelling delivery. It would be fair to say that it's far friendlier than it looks, but that's not turned me away before. Fans of Blind Guardian, Savatage, Helloween, or later Judas Priest should find something worthwhile. After all, what else could you expect from a band that throws a Power Rangers cover on as a bonus track?

Album Review: Twisted Sister - Love Is For Suckers

Twisted Sister - Love Is For Suckers

Atlantic Records - 1987

8/10

By this time in Twisted Sister's career, the band was in shambles over personal matters, if the un-sturdiness of Come Out And Play was anything to predict things off of. 1987's Love Is For Suckers was intended to be a Dee Snider solo work, but wound up with the Twisted Sister name due to record label obligations, and mixed participation from Jay Jay, Eddie, and the rest. Despite being the least well-received record from the band's classic run, I'll take the bold path and say that I still think it's a step up from its predecessor. Sure, it's about as campy and predictable as it looks, but sometimes that works well.

My personal guess is that because Dee Snider more or less wound up as the mastermind behind this, there was less room for awkwardness and a better path for a straight vision. Said vision is what we'll call the most obvious pop-friendly record in the band's discography. I wouldn't go as far as calling it soft, but considering the band's reputation as one of the meaner and heavier bands in the glam metal field, this is very clearly the most fitting of that title. Harder structures aren't absent, but they're sharing a lot of space with emphasis on melody, emotion, and commercial accessibility.

And it's a shame that Love Is For Suckers didn't really land the hits like it could have, because I think they're the most standout tunes here. Leading single "Hot Love" still holds Dee's booming delivery and big drum-kicks the band became known for, but the softer backing licks that ride beside the verses tap into some vibrance rare even for the genre. To the opposite end, the power ballad "You Are All That I Need" is criminally overlooked, as its pre-chorus and build into the gang-chorus lets it be one of my favorite hair band ballads of the time. Admittedly, "Me And The Boys" may be one of the more obvious cheese-fillers here, but I'm not about to pretend that it doesn't scratch the fun itch really nicely.

Still, within the cracks of the standout tunes still lies some grittier songs than you'd expect. The reimagining of Gary Private's "Love Is For Suckers" that wound up taking the album title rides on some muscular riffs and snarling attitude that we're all familiar with. I even dig the closing "Yeah Right!" with its pummeling rhythms and heavy energy, despite its silliness. Conversely, you will have to get through a few glaring fillers that aren't even accidently good, like the embarrassingly generic "I'm So Hot For You," or the cartoonish "One Bad Habit," but I suppose they at least fits the overall vibe nicely?

I'm not here to pretend that Twisted Sister's final classic outing is a hidden gem that got unfair criticism, as there are certainly some laughable aspects to this (starting with the album art). But that aside, I do think it's a little over-hated, is far more linear and thought-out than its predecessor, and has some material worth seeking out. After all, it's not like thirty-eight minutes is that demanding of one's time. Take away what you will, but I think this aged like wine.

Album Review: Ghost Bath - Rose Thorn Necklace

Ghost Bath - Rose Thorn Necklace

Nuclear Blast Records - 2025

5/10

With the mixed-bag of a trilogy behind us, it would see Ghost Bath head into 2025 with their first record outside of that frame since the debut, ultimately being what made me want to revisit the band as a whole. Given how the albums have changed from one to another while retaining the same general existential hatred (to varying degrees of success), I really had no clue what to expect going into album number five. Titled Rose Thorn Necklace, the name and album art alone makes one assume a move away from the harsher black metal sheen that coated Self Loather is imminent. I was mostly incorrect.

Being the shortest record by the band to date, this clocks in just past the thirty minute mark, continuing the more conventional song format at the expense of repetitive layering that the early albums utilized. Contrary to its look, Ghost Bath still tap deep into the black metal ground that made such a stark difference on its predecessor, however it's oddly cleaned up and refined in a way that still offers thick layers. Even on the cleaner leads, a far brighter tone is used that manages to create what I'll call "dense light." Regardless of how hard some of the erupting drums and mean shrieks come in, these always make their way to the top. Similarly, more vocal variance is used, doubling down on the death metal growls to muck up the otherwise foggy air. If that's not enough, even higher pitched versions of the howls this band became known for make their way in from time to time, if you can even picture that.

And while that latter point may seem like the main detractor to simply get past, the fact is Rose Thorn Necklace is even less remarkable than the its predecessor despite being fifteen minutes shorter. In this crunched time, there's not a single memorable track, save for maybe the borderline dance rhythms in "Vodka Butterfly" (and that's a hell of a stretch). Cleaner layers and more conventional writing is cool and all, but it's even less inspiring than before. Musically, it's still littered with random, melancholic soft passages that redo what was perfected the first time or two, offering absolutely no hooks. It's still full of campy ass sadboi songs titled like "Well, I Tried Drowning Today" and "Thinly Sliced Heart Muscle" that are too ridiculous to not be irony, but aren't. Random sections of Dennis (the sole contributor) coughing and injections of crying or moaning haven't been removed from the formula, and the areas that trade all of this for raw aggression like the riffy "Dandelion Tea" are just alright; more extreme metal by the numbers.

Maybe I'm too hard on the band overall, and maybe it's a result of tackling a style I don't often turn to, but maybe it's also just a case of certain experiments having a shelf life. I appreciate the hell out of Moonlover, and with its flaws, Funeral is at least fun in retrospect. But there really isn't too much more you can do here that isn't simply retreading former success to a less commendable degrees. The only other options are simply abandoning the depressive elements to avoid falling into self-parody by accident, or abandoning the black metal and making goth rock or post rock. The North Dakota project has done neither, and now we're at this standstill that could prove me wrong in the future, but as for now, is completely skippable.

Album Review: Ghost Bath - Self Loather

Ghost Bath - Self Loather

Northern Silence Productions - 2021

7/10

Seeing the longest gap between releases since the band's inception, Ghost Bath came back to round out the trilogy of albums with their fourth overall full-length in 2021. Staying just as on the nose as ever with its title, Self Loather dials back some of the overdone intricacies that absolutely butchered its predecessor, giving us a more refined record. Stylistically, this is the most the band has evolved since beginning the trilogy after the shaky and experimental debut. It just comes down to whether or not it lands better than the last evolution, which did not.

Quite quickly, it's evident that Ghost Bath have embraced the traces of metal that everything prior had to a far greater degree. We aren't void of the cleaner licks and melodies that wound up being the band's best strength, but all across the board we get far more metal-oriented rhythms, devious drum kicks, and vocals far more aligned with the traditional blackened shriek in favor of the now less-prominent cry-wails. Moreover, the average song length has decreased tremendously, forcing the ambient atmosphere to take a back seat as repetition no longer fits within the mold. The result is that we get compact tracks that are structured in a slightly more accessible way, even if the style itself is nasty (using both terms somewhat liberally).

Where I still have gripes is in the sheer lack of irony and otherwise unremarkable aspects of Self Loather. They've sidestepped anything that I would call bad this time around, but even the more traditional structures give very few moments that stand out. Opener "Convince Me To Bleed" has strength in its leads, and the menacing tone is nice, but once I was past that surprising element, it felt like goth-laced default Norwegian black metal. "A Crystal Lattice" is an objectively perfect song in this style, ripping through with fury I've never seen from Ghost Bath before, and I'll even toss some points to its cooler center leads with a noisy background, I just struggle to find too many other moments that swing this hard. Funny enough, the longest track "Sanguine Mask" may be the most unique tune on the disc, relying on deep chugs and death metal gutturals, something that makes an appearance from time to time, while also tapping into more familiar territory atmosphere-wise.

The matured foundation that didn't save the former record at all is thankfully carried over, which was definitely a solid touch. But for all of these positives, there's a counterpart. I really can't take things like the crying in "Hide From The Sun," random coughing and throaty groans on tons of these songs, or the unironic silliness of a title like "I Hope Death Finds Me Well" seriously at all. I get it; the "depressive" aspect of this style is not lost on me, and I could handle bits of this in the earlier stage, but the way things have evolved makes it sound like mature men in their thirties co-writing music with teenagers. I love where Self Loather took things, and the foundation on this is great, I just see little reason to return to it.

Album Review: Ghost Bath - Starmourner

Ghost Bath - Starmourner

Northern Silence Productions - 2017

4/10

Being the second installment of Ghost Bath's trilogy of exploring the dread of existentialism, their third full-length overall would finally see more than one year between releases for the first time. Starmourner, as on the nose as it can get for a counterpart to Moonlover, probably has one of my favorite album covers. However, the question of if the music itself matches remains; indeed, this was the last album by the North Dakota outfit I listened to upon release, and haven't since. Knowing the stylistic black/gaze direction the band went, seventy-one minutes of the same style seems like it could run into redundancy, should there not be another evolutionary step.

Unfortunately, that's partially what we end up with, and I was quickly reminded why I haven't revisited it in nine years. There are slight nuances between the trilogy's first installment and this one, which is often all you need, but I find it lacking. At its core, Starmourner is still just as atmospheric in terms of generating a cloudy hue over all of the songs, it's still loaded with howl-cry vocals that are undiscernible from one to another, and soft melodies meeting bright leads still see the "best" moments on the album (And I use that word pretty liberally). The issue is, this idea has a shelf life, and the slight evolutionary aspects either don't help, or completely hurt.

For one, bold as it may sound, Ghost Bath seem to have abandoned the already small traces of black metal that came before for chugs that lean closer to a hardcore aesthetic, short of the occasional blast beat. While this isn't a bad thing in a vacuum, the repetitive nature that Dennis Makula and co. cook up really does not blend well with that, and you wind up with literal minutes of the same chugs back to back like in "Ambrosial." There are some exceptions from time to time, as "Thrones" is very black metal through and through, but even then I struggle to call it more than a basic helping of nothing special. Similarly, the production may be even clearer, another thing that's not always bad in a vacuum; in fact, if there's a positive here, it's that the bass is more prominent than it has ever been before. But with that comes a clearer field for those unflattering vocals to sprout in, working as a focal point rather than a side facet that helped mask them on the previous record.

And finally, as I hinted at the top, all of these things are exacerbated by a record that's entirely too long. The prettier melodies that make up "Celestial" are undeniably pleasant, but hearing them go on for eight fucking minutes with only slight layer additions is exhausting; never mind the fact that a deeper look reveals extremely simplistic leads to begin with, but I'm not quite pretentious enough to care about that too much. But if that's not enough, most of the songs within themselves just meander and resurrect the feeling of minimal vision and maximum throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. That was passable on the first record due to its raw charm, but becomes impossible to overlook this time. Even if one went the familiar route of leaning on instrumentals again, two of the three, "Principalities" and "Ode," are tacked onto the end, at which point I'm just over this. Even if they weren't, all three are nothing to write home about.

Objectively, you could make a case that Starmourner showcases the most mature record Ghost Bath has put out up to its release, but that absolutely does not make it a better album. Evolution is needed for a style like this, but when every change causes a downgrade in quality, it's not worth it. Utilizing no change would just give us thirty more minutes (on the original forty) of what was a solid effort before, which is also no good. Funeral may have been amateur in execution and overly long, but its uniqueness and charm made many of its errors worth overlooking in the right mood. As for this? I say skip it entirely; it's less than mediocre, and you could make better use of seventy minutes.

P.S. I recently learned that the vocalist has another band called If I Could Kill Myself. Is there really no such thing as self-parody anymore?