Wednesday 29 June 2016

Raging Speedhorn - "Lost Ritual" (Album Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 15/07/2016
Label: Pledge Music


The ‘Speedhorn, these days, are a more measured beast- gone are the almost out of control frenetic changes and overall delivery, and what we have instead is a band still capable of viciousness and aural violence, but approaching their craft in a more measured manner.  As Comebacks go this is a great one- the band has lost none of their power and the ten tracks here are of uniformly good quality. A fine effort, well worthy of your time and a perfect antidote for these troubling times.

“Lost Ritual” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Bring Out Your Dead
2). Halfway To Hell
3). Motörhead
4). Evil Or Mental
5). Ten Of Swords
6). Dogshit Blues
7). Hangman
8). Shit Outta Luck
9). Coming Home
10). Unleash The Serpent

The Review

After all this time on hiatus... have they still got it?! The answer, thankfully, is yes. Albeit that “it” has changed a little in the intervening decade. “Bring Out Your Dead” is a chugging monster, those familiar twin vocals coming back to my consciousness as if my memories of 2002 have awoken. The ‘Speedhorn, these days, are a more measured beast- gone are the almost out of control frenetic changes and overall delivery.

What we have instead is a band still capable of viciousness and aural violence, but approaching their craft in a more measured manner. That's not to say that “Halfway to Hell” doesn't rock like a bastard, because it does. The sound and grooves come thick and fast on this one; excellent bass tone and a fine slow section through the middle to show it off. The prescient “Motorhead” is well worthy of the title and barrels along with force and swagger.

That opening triumphant triumvirate is followed by the excellent “Evil or Mental”, which slows things down and ramps up the hatred. “Ten of Swords” is similarly low and slow; once again giving the sense that ‘Speedhorn have approached this record with a sense of craftsmanship by giving it ebb and flow and allowing all facets of their musical personality to shine.

“Dogshit Blues” plays the ace of spades again- a short and sharp blast of rollicking energy.  And thus the record continues on- a more rock and roll version of ‘Speedhorn in some ways, a more measured one in others. Make no mistake, though, this is a huge improvement on their two previous records and builds successfully on their revered first two. Sludge mingles with Motorhead-ish tracks. “The Hangman” is certainly as heavy and horrible as anything from the band's past, while “Shit Outta Luck” rocks like Lemmy were still alive and stepping out on stage.

The final two tracks slither by with “Unleash The Serpent” providing a suitably unpleasant conclusion. As Comebacks go this is a great one- the band has lost none of their power and the ten tracks here are of uniformly good quality. A fine effort, well worthy of your time. I enjoyed the band hugely first time around and I am enjoying this record hugely as well. A perfect antidote for these troubling times.

“Lost Ritual” is available here

Band info: Facebook