This is the fifth studio album by the band and was released in 2009. Musically, I really like this band and (as I have mentioned before) they drink from the well of Pantera. They put emphasis on huge monster riffs and unreal beats and grooves. The twin guitar riffage is nuts with such a killer tone and sound, and Chris Adler is a beast on the kit and it has taken it’s toll on him physically.
The opening acoustic soft tones of The Passing soon give way to monster riffs in the form of In Your Words. Next track in, Set To Fail, rips your face off with the monster riff and the other worldly drumming of Adler. I’m aware that drummers who play this fast use triggers, but still, Adler is not human. Contractor is pure Pantera and tries to break the sound barrier for speed. The intensity carries on with Fake Messiah with a superb riff and monster groove. Grace closes out Side 1 and is anything but graceful.
Broken Hands slows the groves down a tad as Randy Blythe screams out the intro vocal line. Dead Seeds as a killer riff with a the double kicks-a-pounding. A very old school thrash style riff opens Everything Is Nothing, before it opens out into a Slipknot sounding groove. Choke Sermon has some more epic Chris Adler drumming, coupled with a fat huge riff that could just make this my favourite on the album. Reclamation closes out the album with the sounds of the ocean crashing on the shore and a very blues acoustic guitar, before the heaviness returns – a killer ending to the album.
I know this is not for everyone, but I have a big soft spot for this band.
9.5/10 from The Grooveman.
