Sunday 5 January 2014

Generaton Kill - We're All Gonna Die (Album Review)


Album Type :  Full Length
Date Released :  15.11.2013
Label : Nuclear Blast

We're All Gonna Die, album track listing :

1. Born to Serve 3:57
2. Prophets of War 6:23
3. Death Comes Calling 5:48
4. Friendly Fire 2:52
5. Carny Love 5:05
6. Vegas 5:01
7. There Is No Hope 7:51
8. We're All Gonna Die 2:44

Bio :

GENERATION KILL are the final answer to all that tedious talk about a comeback of Thrash Metal. This is not just another Thrash Band. GENERATION KILL incorporates many different styles of music, which sets this band apart from the rest. All five members have diverse musical backgrounds, which define and allow GENERATION KILL to be a Band with no limitations.


The Band :

Rob Dukes | Vocals
Rob Moschetti | Bass/Backing vocals
Jason Trenzcer |Lead Guitar
Jason Velez | Lead Guitar
Jim DeMaria | Drums

Review :

With Gary Holt replacing Jeff Hanneman in Slayer, the other members of Exodus have some down time. Rob Dukes has put this to good effect, starting this thrashy/Pantera-esque side project and lending his distinctive rasp to the eight tracks on offer here.

“Born to Serve” has a serious 90's groove to it and right away you know what you are getting- thrash, but not of the Exodus/Testament variety. The style falls somewhere between there and Pantera- who, while not thrash- were definitely closer to that style than trad. “Prophets of War” demonstrates Dukes' actual singing voice- mean and moody it is too! You will be in for a surprise if you viewed him as a one dimensional shouter.

“Death Comes Calling” again starts in a surprisingly melodic way and keeps the tempo slow while the tension builds. “Friendly Fire” puts the pedal to the metal with an opening shredding solo and thrash pacing. Perhaps closer to his day job, this track brings raw visceral thrash and the album is proved to be a many headed beast with more variety than I was expecting.  “Carny Love”... the less said about the risible spoken word intro the better, really. Lyrically, what follows is sadly not much better being as it is a kind of run through of a circus of horrors. Musically, however, all is well with moody atmospherics and good use of dynamics.

“Vegas” gets things firmly back on track- galloping thrash (mid) pacing and good levels of energy. “There is No Hope” keeps the energy level VERY high but still keeps things interesting with a more melodic bridge section- fine vocals from Dukes- then straight back into the fray. A melodic middle section is a nice touch in this epic and excellent track.

The title track is up last and, instead of going for a lengthy epic the band goes for the throat. Hard and heavy with a kind of punk-ish edge to the thrashing, the track sums up what Generation Kill do best. There is melodic/shredding soloing as the band play very tight. The breakdown/build up section is very effective and the righteous fury that Dukes expresses is well delivered and effective. A riff-with-space finishes the opus and before you know it, the album is over.

If you enjoy Dukes' vocals (for me he is Exodus' best vocalist), want some retro but not all the way retro style thrash and are looking for a record that is immediate and adrenaline fuelled pick this one up without hesitation.

Words by : Richard Maw

You can buy it here