Blackened vocals ride boldly atop flutter-picked guitar and rampaging drums. The Northwest US has produced another metal gem, with brutal but clear production.
Celebrating 40 years as heavy metal queen, Doro thanks her fans with live footage from Wacken Open Air, Monsters of Rock in Brazil, and her anniversary show.
This song has it all: Slayeresque evil half-steps, hardcore group choruses, death metal roar, melodic hardcore verses, galloping thrash, & scowling breakdowns.
After jaw-dropping work by Dog Fashion Disco/Polkadot Cadaver, Jim Thirlwells’ Foetus projects, and Tod A.’s Cop Shoot Cop/Firewater, this is rudimentary.
The double-bass is too far forward, the guitars are an afterthought, and the horror strings don’t take the moonlight until three minutes into this snoozer.
“Downer Surrounded by Uppers” is more fist-pumping L7 yowl and Medicine fuzz, “Knelt” is a gorgeous sludge crawl, like Kylsea, or other plodding stoner doom.
While it’s Alestorm on autopilot, “Fannybaws” is fine pirate metal. There’s a ship, beards, yo-ho-ho choruses, a blistering solo, and a midget. No wenches?
Behemoth release their blackened cover of The Cure’s ’80s classic, “A Forest.” The band scorch the forest, leveling all nuance, and pave it over with thick tar.