Black Breath are a Seattle based Death-n-Roll/hardcore band who everyone should be familiar with by now. They first blazed on the scene with the Razor to Oblivion EP and I like many have been following closely ever since.
So Black Breath are back with a little more death and a bit less roll, and the follow up to 2010's highly acclaimed "Heavy Breathing". Fans won't be disappointed though as "Sentenced To Death" goes straight for the throat and doesn't relent for the duration of this album.
Recorded again at the famous God City studio under the helm of the workaholic Kurt Ballou, Black Breath have upped the speed of the buzzsaw riffs and focused and condensed the songs into shorter sharper blasts of rage.
"Feast of The Damned" blasts things off, with breakneck speed, gang vocals and relentless drumming. Its sets the tone for proceedings as there's hardly a break from the pace. The title track and "Forced Into Possession" follow on ,grimy guitars and harrowing vocals by Nate McAdams . "Home Of The Grave" slows things down slightly with a infectious mid song groove, "Endless Corpse" also switches tempo throughout with some eerie guitar tones and a doom like mid section.
The frantic riffing and barrage of drums returns on "Mother Abyss" which is almost an old school hardcore song. Lyrics spat out with venom and impossible speed. By this time your dizzy with the onslaught of riffs, and fury.
Listening to "Sentenced To Life" is like being smashed in the face with a hammer and having broken glass rubbed in the wounds. "Doomed" and "The Flame" inflict further punishment , the latter featuring some blistering guitar work.
"Obey" closes the album, a spoken vocal intro gives way to a unholy beast of a song. Such is the infectious nature of the album once finished you find yourself playing it again and again. I almost was digging out my old bullet belt and denim cut-off to fully immerse myself in the listening experience.
"Sentenced to life" helps erase the memory of Nu-metal taking you back to a time pre-Fred Durst. Although its no retro-fest as Black Breath are breathing new life into this form of Heavy music, along with bands like All Pigs Must Die and Trap Them forging a new wave of abrasive metal . This album will appeal to thrashers,hardcore heads,old school metallers, sludge+doom fans such is the quality and simple fact it rocks like a Bastard! Black Breath have created an album that again will feature in many end of year best of lists. Be sure to check tour dates and if playing near you miss them at your peril.
"Sentenced To Life" is available through Southern Lord records, and can be ordered directly on the links below.
Pjsludge.
Southern Lord
Website
