Mixing the savage rage of The Code Is Red with the angular and experimental sounds of the underrated Diatribes, there’s never a dull moment on Smear Campaign.
As the title suggests, Fallout… acts like a companion piece to The War Within, replete with covers, re-recordings, unreleased material, and a few new tunes.
The quartet ups the anger ante, adding a handful of honest to god blastbeats to the repertoire in an effort to liven things up. For the most part, it works.
Part Heart power ballad, part Mötley Crüe “Kickstart my Heart” wild-eyed shot-pounder. If you thought stripper rock was dead, you haven’t been paying attention.