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
