NTX Vinyl

Reviews:

Imagine you’re a forefather of the extreme metal movement. Yes, that meansyou probably can’t swing the old neck as fluidly as you once did. But, moreimportantly, as you trudge deeper into your second or third decade of craftingnasty music you’ll face a pair of rather unappealing choices. Should yousimply keep on keepin’ on and give older listeners the opportunity to bemoanthe fact that you’ve stuck with the same formula for six or seven albums?Or should you attempt to experiment with and expand your band’s sound andallow those same listeners to then rebuke your work when you move outside therealm of expectations?

Okay, snap out of it. This isn’t your problem, it’s Bolt Thrower’s.And based on the sounds of Honour-Valour-Pride, this Birmingham death metaltroupe will likely never release that “return to form” or “bolddeparture” record they’ve seen nearly all of their early Earache Recordspeers produce over the past few years. Rolling on undaunted in spite of the seconddeparture of vocalist Karl Willetts following their previous LP, 1998’s Mercenary,Bolt Thrower and their mid-paced death metal barrage should be as warm and familiarby now as your favorite sweater. Even a new vocalist in the form of ex-Benedictionleader Dave Ingram scarcely deviates from the traditional death grunt of his predecessor—or,in fact, thousands of other growling frontmen.

Ultimately though, Bolt Thrower is still propelled by what should drive everygood metal band—the riff. And guitarists Barry Thompson and Gavin Ward writethem like they are wading through quicksand. Thick and suffocating yet mercifullymelodic, “Inside the Wire” and “7 th Offensive” rain downlike artillery thunder, clearly invoking the ghosts of classic BT war storieslike “Cenotaph” and the simply massive “…For Victory.”Yeah, it’s ultimately simple nostalgia, but it sure beats those recent Slayerand Deicide records.