Canadian thrashers Golers are back with their fourth album, In ’n’ Outlaws (Independent/self-released). The Vancouver- based quartet – made up of Walter Mason on vocals and Guitar, Derek Rockall on guitar, Stuart Carruthers on bass and drummer Jason Mosdell – have delivered 14 tracks of quality hardcore-infused thrash with hints of southern sludge.
The opening title tracks is fast as it is brutal; two and half minutes of raw speed and aggression. The rasping screams, pummelling drums, lightning riffs, Golers only play music that’s high octane, heavy, relentless, volatile – imagine Iron Reagan fronted by Phil Anselmo, then make it heavier.
Very few songs longer than two minutes – but that brevity means none of the tracks outstay their welcome. It’s hard to pick out individual songs for special mention. Every track is, however, littered with quality solos; ‘Paradise Entrails,’ ‘Scratch’ and ‘Riff Cult – Relations’ are blessed with some excellent guitar work, and offer a brief reprieve from an otherwise uninterrupted aural attack.
Despite all sounding pretty similar, they’re also very good and there’s very little in the way of filler. But with all 14 tracks following a very similar blueprint it does get a bit fatiguing along the way. However it’s a small grip with an otherwise quality release.
From start to finish, In’n’Outlaws is an unadulterated assault on the senses. It’s a consistently nasty album from a band who know how to shred and thrash. One for people who miss extreme metal and punk from the 80s.
7.5/10
DAN SWINHOE
The Devil went down to Georgia, and Georgia spat out Black Tusk. Riding alongside the likes of Kylesa and Baroness, they are rapidly making a name for themselves with their own brand of ‘swamp metal.’ Their latest offering of Tend No Wounds is no different: dirty and downright disgusting rock n’ roll record, all infused with a heavy dose of southern sludge. It’s hard to miss the bands obvious punk roots here, with barked vocals rising abrasively within the mix. The real focus of the songs however is not on vocals but in the backing. The talent with this band lies in their ability to create a full sound using only three members, and their bluesy guitar and gritty distortion containing a real groove that propels you from start to finish.