Killed By Cain
Killed By Cain
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
Wow! This album is going to attract a lot of attention this summer. The guitar crunch is pretty intense and the grooves are infectious. Most of these nine songs sound a lot like Bride, but with a different attitude (read frantic) and rhythm base (like, less settling into a slow 'n' big groove). You won't just headbang to these tunes, though, you'll body bang. Fans of The Crucified will also be predisposed to get into the tune "Gasoline," with its bass leads and massive crunch grooves. In fact, you could describe Killed By Cain as: "Bride meets The Crucified at a guitar mentally insane convention." Although taking a raw approach to the sonics and performance, sometimes the separation of guitar frequencies gets to be shrill. Yet, an edgy, raw performance gives you the energy and attitude you're looking for in this music. The ideas presented here are cutting edge and winning, yet sometimes the performance tips the scale away from the "rawness is good for attitude" balance. The "screech-like-me" school of vocal production by Dale Thompson seems to be a decision that hurts the band's commercial accessibility. Maybe a more discernable octave would fare better to the ears. Take Led Zeppelin or Pantera, for example: rarely did you hear Robert Plant or Phil Anselmo travel so far up the musical scale that it became a detractor from the music. This is most evident in "Gun Control," the album's closer. "Jezebel" sounds as if vocalist John Warren is trying his best Axl Rose imitation. He does a good one, but why? "Violence" has an intense riff that is reminiscent of the urgency and pace of most industrial tunes--yet there ain't no keyboards here. "Thou Shalt Not Kill" has a killer alternative groove mixed in with the bass heavy crunch for this attack on those who murder babies and/or try to ignore it. "Freedom of choice/freedom to pay...I hope you choke on your laughter for the innocent ones." Whoa! "Walk The Line" is one of the album's brightest moments, mixing a fantastic riff that's as heavy as a bulldozer and about as simple and straight-forward as a good AC-DC anthem--until it comes to the end of the song, where a hardcore beat comes in and chants of "Ignorance!" break the pace. While I like this album, I do not think it is great. But, if energy's what you want, you get enough here to take you through most of those hot summer days ahead.