Thursday, June 16, 2016

Sludgehammer "The Fallen Sun" Review


                Arguably, Death Metal and Thrash Metal go hand in hand and if there was any doubt of this before then check out this new album “The Fallen Sun” from Toronto’s own Sludgehammer. Canada is known for bringing out the coldest in people with the 7 months of winter, but it also means you get the heaviest Metal so you can have that warm fuzzy feeling in you. The band has shared the stage with plenty of metal icons including the likes of Polish Death Metal legends Decapitated and headlined a highly successful CD release show for the aforementioned album that definitely brought in some new fans.

                The album opens up with “Demons From the Woodwork” and it’s like an instant slap in the face, the pure magnitude of Thrash that kicks off this album really sets the stage for what’s going to be coming. The vocals are raspy and brutal with some more old Heavy Metal/Thrash style vocals to contrast with it throughout the song and mostly in the chorus. Once the solo kicks in you know the album will be a treat for anyone who appreciates true musicianship as the solos are fast, technical and all around jaw dropping. After the solos and closer to the end of the song the tempo drops down to a pace that will get hair flying everywhere at any show.

                “Carrion Eater” a little later on starts off very similar to some old Maiden songs with the pure harmony in the riff and just the all around sound, but this is a Death Metal album and before long the heavy distortion and deep growls start and remind you of what you’re listening to. The verses of “Carrion Eater” are slower and quite easy to follow but are guaranteed to start a pit no problem. The riffs are catchy and full of hooks and the vocals are nothing to mess around with transitioning between brutal and thrashy fluently and keeping you interested. This song is more standard, no insane solos or any tricks, just some good solid Metal and what else could you need?

                Next is a song you won’t want to say out loud in public, “Consuming Afterbirth.” This song is probably one of the heavier ones on the album, the riff is fairly consistent throughout with minor changes, but it’s the guitar solos that make it worth a hundred plays. It’s worth mentioning again that the musicianship on this album is top notch and this song is just more proof of the consistency of Sludgehammer. There’s not a whole lot more to mention about “Consuming Afterbirth,” the song is catchy for a Death Metal song and demonstrates exactly what the band has to offer.


                Need I say more? “The Fallen Sun” is some top tier Canadian Metal, it would be easy to see Sludgehammer being sent to some of the huge European festivals to rock out in front of tens of thousands of Metalhands. If you’re a Death Metal fan, a Thrash Metal fan, hell, even just a Metal fan, you owe it to yourself to pick up “The Fallen Sun” because you sure as hell won’t be disappointed.

90/100



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