Cobra The Impaler bring their own brand of metal from Ghent, Belgium. Mixing classic heavy metal tropes with elements of thrash and throwing in a ton of groove, there’s plenty to look forward to on their debut album, “Colossal Gods”. The band is the brainchild of ex-Aborted man Tace DC and he means business.
The chiming introduction to the album’s title track breaks out into a juicy, sinister sounding riff and vocals with more than a whiff of Alice Cooper stylings. Proto metal at its finest, this is a pretty cool start. A late ‘70’s Black Sabbath vibe hangs over tracks like “Blood Eye” with its urgent drumming and quirky, progressive time changes that more than keep you on your toes. There’s a lovely live feel to the production with a freshness that’s hard to resist. Then suddenly, a more contemporary, thrashy sound comes through on “Tempest Rising”. The churning, whirlwind tone brings to mind Mastodon and Sylosis with circular guitars mixing with melody. The staccato riffing on “Spirit Of Lyssa” brings a sense of urgency before the more sinister sounding “Scorched Earth”.
The second half of the album is a bit thrashier. “Spawn Of The Forgotten” is a spikier affair and is a guaranteed pit starter with a very live feel. One of the standout tracks is “Demigods” with its soulful vocals over a militaristic beat. Tasteful and slick lead guitar work bookends closing track “Mountains” giving it a very airy feel and proves to be a solid way to end the album.
“Colossal Gods” is a solid first album. Taking classic heavy metal and giving it a contemporary touch, there’s a lot to like. The band manage to take twists and turns but never to the point of self-indulgence. There’s also the artwork that is eye-catchingly Mastodon-like. Definitely a band to keep an eye on.
(8/10 Johnny Zed)
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