By: Aaron Pickford
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 4/6/2012
Label: Earache
The album just harks back to the age of flairs and long hair and
denim. You can imagine yourself handling the gatefold. An
album made as a tribute to their heroes, an ode to their influences and a
timely reminder of what it meant to buy a record on the day of release. The
anticipation of getting the record home and playing it for the first time, ‘Head of Death’ makes you want to
step back in time and remember where heavy metal started.
‘Head of Death’ CD//DD//LP track listing
1. Head
of Death (8:26)
2. The
Messenger (4:45)
3. Goblin
Shark (5:01)
4. Decion
(6:19)
5. The
Servant (4:01)
6. Vermin
Rift (5:20)
7. Spider
Baby (5:57)
8. Mutations
in Maine (7:36)
Natur is:
Weibust
| Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals
Dino | Lead Guitar
Sound Mound | Lead Bass Guitar
Tooth | Lead Drums / Backing Vocals
Dino | Lead Guitar
Sound Mound | Lead Bass Guitar
Tooth | Lead Drums / Backing Vocals
The Review:
Given
that my first introduction to buying vinyl was purchasing cheesy pop, by
artists too embarrassing to mention on this here blog. I take
comfort that my father just happened to have Black Sabbath,
Deep Purple and Frank Zappa for me to
discover. Thank God!
That’s
the thing isn’t it? Music is about stages or periods in your life, that shape
and guide us as individuals. To truly embrace heavy music, it’s
about the process of dusting down that gatefold, cleaning your vinyl and
hearing the crackles of your favourite record playing on your turntable,
listening intently with your headphones on. Playing vinyl is about
making the effort and taking the time to do something you enjoy, with the big
pay off being that first burst of riffs.
So,
when I pressed the play button on my iPod (how time have changed), Natur's music
reminded me of such a time, ‘Head of Death’ takes the
listener on a nostalgia trip. A time of bell bottoms and beer. It’s
just plain old school metal, nothing flashy or showy, just balls to the wall,
classic sounding riffage of yore, with Iron Maiden esque dual
guitars, explosions of squealing lead guitar solos with a raw garage rock
flavour. A tight and crisp guitar sound, with the droning bass
and steadfast beat of the drums.
‘Head
of Death’ is an album written by students of heavy
metal for fans of heavy metal. Natur have delivered an enjoyable and cohesive album
with flashes of thrash metal gusto and thunderous lead guitar solos, they are
not blisteringly fast but they fit the tone of the songs beautifully. The album
has an impeccable variety of riffs and it never gets boring. Weibust
provides a powerful vocal delivery throughout the record and what is the
strongest point on the record, is that you can hear every note of the
galloped riffs. Whilst the album is not blisteringly
heavy, it is hooky and gutsy and fun and just addictive. It is dark,
eerie and atmospheric and at times it is just plain sinister.
The
album just harks back to the age of flairs and long hair and denim. You
can imagine yourself handling the gatefold. An album made as
a tribute to their heroes, an ode to their influences and a timely
reminder of what it meant to buy a record on the day of release. The
anticipation of getting the record home and playing it for the first time, ‘Head
of Death’ makes you want to step back in time and remember
where heavy metal started.
Whilst
the songs on offer appear to follow a similar style, Natur are tight
musicians and invoke a gothic macabre vibe in terms of their lyrics, but
occasionally mix things up with a beautiful acoustic guitar breakdowns or
an excellent guitar solo. The riffs are simple but addictive, however the album
is just infectious and a delight in as much as their obviously psyched to be
playing the music they love. ‘Head of Death’ is music to
inspire future guitar heroes and a nostalgia trip you’ll want to repeat again
and again.
