Traitors Return To Earth is a Sludge/Stoner/Doom Metal Band from USA
The members are:
Chris Sherrod - Vocals
Kevin Masters - Guitar
Justin Ringle - Drums
Jordan Chasteen- Bass
Do I really need to say anything about Traitors Return To Earth. Well I suppose I can say the following
- Featured them 3 times now
- Provided one of my fave interviews of 2012 with one of the best ever quotes as well
- Possibly my fave ever band that I have promoted on Sludgelord.
Back in 2011 the guys sent me their brilliant debut album to review – Smokescreen. It was an album that made me an instant fan of this great band. Their blend of Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal riffs is why I started the blog in the first place, mainly to promote great bands like Traitors Return To Earth.
I have enjoyed a great relationship with the band ever since. If I could choose a band what I think best represents Sludgelord then Traitors Return To Earth is that band. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure in reviewing their brilliant and long awaited 2nd album – Betting On A Full Collapse. This is the album that should launch these guys on a greater scale as they deserve it.
I am reviewing the CD edition of the album. As the guys are releasing this album on both Vinyl and CD by themselves. The Vinyl has 5 tracks while the CD has two extra-unreleased tracks. My advice is to buy both copies as the two extra tracks are simply phenomenal.
Well back to the review. The album starts off in loud brutal angry fashion with – Human Drone – an epic 8-minute blast of dirge ridden Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal riffs with vocalist Chris on fine demented form. It is great to hear Traitors back louder and angrier than ever. Their guitars have been amped up for maximum earth shattering levels. It is a great track to show off their immense talents.
EHM is the next hard-hitting track to blast your senses into submission. A great slow-paced guitar riffs plays for about 40 seconds until the full heavy pounding riffs come into action. Its 5:23 mins of pure Sludge Metal carnage played for maximum attention. Play this song as loud as you can. It well annoy the heck out of your neighbours. A proper groove laiden track of epic juicy riffs.
The band told me they listened to a lot of Conan when recording this album. And you can tell. As they channel that brilliant bands energy and aggression but all done in their own unique way. If Conan ever do another brilliant split release then they should really hook up with Traitors Return To Earth. They would compliment each other so well.
Up next is Wall Street Swan Dive. A hard hitting and heavy pounding affair that would not felt out of place from their superb debut album. It is played at a slower level though Chris is still channelling his inner demon to perfection. The bass and drumming are simply immense on this track. It felt like my hearing was at war with the music. Heavy pounding Sludge/Doom metal Riffs that can be actually be used as a weapon. WOW!!!
The next two tracks is where the album becomes more epic and heavier than ever before. The brilliant 7:08 minute epic – Clawing For Scraps might start off slowly but give it time before the band descend into all out war and chaos once again. It will have you on the edge of your seat. Sit back and enjoy the mighty fine heavy slabs of Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal riffs on show. This track shows Traitors Return To Earth have became a bigger and better band since Smokescreen.
They know when to lay down a sublime doom and gloom based riff that will have you begging for more. Check out the riff that comes out of nowhere around the 4:30 minute mark. Brilliant stuff.
And we now come to the last track on the album (Well for the vinyl edition at least) – The amazing 11:10 minute epic – Betting On A Full Collapse. This is the track where the band have put their heart and soul into. It is quite possibly the best track the band have written and probably the best they have ever sounded. Crunching riffs playing through out the epic running time. Creepy vocals portrayed with a real sense of menace to show a side of the band I have not heard before.
They might be great guys away from the band but once they are playing as a collective unit then they are true demonic force of nature. A dark and brooding unflinching ride of thrills and spills take this album into the realm of brilliance.
It leaves Smokescreen into the dust and we still have two tracks left to check out. Like I said before the next two tracks are on the CD only. Please remember folks this album is all funded by the band themselves. Plus they did not want to jeopardise the quality of the vinyl by adding two extra tracks. The band consider the Vinyl Edition of the album as their definitive edition. So buy both versions if you can. Though the guys have still put together some mighty fine packages for both releases.
Anyway the last two tracks – In Humanity In Our Name and The Hollow run for both 9 mins and 8 mins respectively. Both excellent tracks continuing the heavy epic Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal riffs to hard-hitting perfection.
You might ask what version do I prefer- CD or Vinyl. Well I have to say the vinyl edition as it’s the guys preferred choice. The two extra songs are excellent songs but the 35 minutes that the vinyl edition offers features Traitors Return To Earth at their most heaviest and that is what this excellent band is all about. Heavy riffs with brutal amazing vocals to match.
Betting On A Full Collapse is a brilliant album that I cannot rate highly enough. I hope the album pushes these guys onto a bigger scale as they truly deserve it. This is their best work to date and I hope there is more to come from these hugely talented Sludge Metallers.
Amazing. Simply unmissable. This is a must have album for all Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal fans. So buy it when it is finally released in June 2013.
Thanks to the band for sending me an advance copy of the album. This has been my no 1 must have album of 2013 and it definitely has been worth the wait. WOW!!! – End Of.
Check The Band From the Links Below
BandCamp
