You know the difference between an electric shaver and a 50p packet of 10 disposable razors from Aldi?
One has millions of dollars of R&D ploughed into it, designed to be the ‘ultimate shaving experience’, is supremely comfortable and won’t cut you even if you try. The other is what guys (& girls) have been using since the dawn of time, has plenty of rough edges, one slip will result in mucho bloodshed and you can just chuck it when you’re done – but it will shave you much closer……and probably bring you out in a rash.
“Where are you going with this Evey?” I hear you ask. Well ‘Devil’s Breath’ is the aural equivalent of the cheapy disposable razor in a world full of hyper processed & posey Brauns & Remingtons.
This their debut album for Cleveland’s Nekrofilth for Hells Headbangers (preceded by some very rare split eps and demos) and it’s an absolute blast of primal, punked up, raging thrash & roll.
The production is surprisingly good and you can hear every instrument as they hammer through the thirteen tracks in about 27 minutes. Zack Ripper’s (guitar / vocals) simple, caustic riffing and minimal soloing is most addictive and the rhythm section of Jon B (drums) and Tony De Prano (bass) clatter along underpinning events appropriately. The drumming in particular is excellent – tight as you like when it needs to be and sounding like a drunk man building a shed at other times. Proper.
I was really in the mood for this having just been forced to listen to some pagan / folky / dirgey misery metal and it’s been on constant rotation here for the last 48 hours. The heady blend of Motorhead / early Misfits and a dash of Scando crust punk is unique and I can’t get bored of it (the short running time probably helps) and I look forward to some UK tour dates soon as they are sure to be a brilliant live band.
Love early Venom? Wish they’d been more offensive? Then you’ll dig Nekrofilth with such date night classics as ‘Smear The Sleaze’ – “I don’t need the blood of a virgin, I’d rather taste the ass of a slut” and the singalong ‘Junkie Cunt’ – “I can feel the maggots writhing on my dick” – and you don’t get that on the new Dream Theater record!
(8.5/10 Mark Eve)
Leave a Reply