Nostalgic Death Metal albums are like buses. You miss one then ten will turn up dressed in greasy denim and bullet belts belching songs about war and tragedy before dragging you off towards the early 90’s.
Shrapnel Storm from Finland are wearing their” I heart Bolt Thrower” badges prominently on their battered battle jackets on Silo – their third full length, well silo. If you like your Death Metal dirty, chuggy and ragged then this is for you – it hits the same spots as the aforementioned Midlanders and of course Memoriam (it goes without saying but I have a degree in stating the bleeding obvious) and Hail of Bullets.
The album opens with the moody intro title track which puts down markers and mines for “Wastelands” to detonate. It erupts with a killer riff and groovy as fuck drums and then just before a delicious breakdown pops in a sample that according to one radio listener is the shotgun reload from Doom. It forces a wry smile from me and despite a touch of cliché it hits the spot like only a double barrel 12 gauge can. This is battle music to get the blood pumping and fists thumping.
“Justice and Glory” is rough and raw – there is a tinge of Black Metal in there with the chunky riffs and Yka’s vocals evoking Immortal and the funky little bass solo midway through was a welcome surprise. It seems to be over in mere moments and one of the album highlights “The Only Snake Here Is You” stomps out of my speakers.
An infectious riff and a great rasping chorus – this is one of those tracks that peels back a layer of epidermis and lives there gratis for a day or two. It hits that sweet spot of catchy and brutal that Six Feet Under managed on their debut. “Alive Ammunition” brings some big Hardcore balls to the combat shorts – like a mix of S.O.D and Hail of Bullets. A slamming breakdown followed by a gnarly thrash section – I am giddy like a schoolboy!
“Bring Me the War” has a riff that is straight out of the Scott Ian playbook – Skeletons in the Closet springs to mind and it is another track on this album that has burrowed into my body like the invertebrate in Wrath of Khan. Another groovy as fuck melody!
The opening riff to “Conquering the Gods” is one of those that sounds like I have heard it a thousand times but it epitomises “METAAAAAAAAAAAAAL” so much it just made me grin from ear to ear then grimace like I had my dangly bits trapped in a vice. Again another great chorus.
The next track “Icons of Destruction” is a curious beast it switches from lumbering gargantuan to sleek and swift assassin every few moments. lighter riffs are energising and remind me – bizarrely I suppose of Therapy? Meanwhile “Obey and Perish” is a straight up angry death metal blast but still with that chunky groove which Shrapnel Storm appear to have bought a bumper bag of.
There is an old school thrash vibe in “Kinslayer” although if I am honest that can be said of most of this album – this is the sort of thing that would have blown by white hi-tops off in 1988 and still makes my old man slippers wiggle 35 years later.
When “This Is Where I Fell” began I thought it was going to be a ballad and my heart sank. Oh me of little faith – no sappy sell out here – this is more dirty battle ravaged music to launch futuristic trebuchets to.
Silo is packed full of riffs and attitude – sometimes the only need to break is the concrete under your feet by stomping along to some catchy raging metal. This is such an album.
(8.5/ 10 Matt Mason)
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