REVIEWS IN BRIEF: SALT THE WOUND, AIRBOURNE
MetalSucks writer Vince Neilstein takes a look at recent releases from deathcore outfit Salt The Wound and Australian party-rockers Airbourne. Quick reviews after the jump.
Salt the Wound – Carnal Repurcussions
Salt the Wound follow a mostly tried and true formula, combining deathcore, thrash attacks and blast-beasts with a metalcore guitar sensibility. Guitar/bass/drum chugga-chugga is the basis for most of the songs with layered death metal growls juxtaposed against metalcore by-way-of-Swedish-melodeath by-way-of-NWOBHM guitars. The players are certainly proficient enough at their instruments, but Salt the Wound are lacking in that ever-so-important key to good music: songs. “Gloves” offers some respite with gang vocals over a hardcore breakdown and there are occasional pig squeals to mix it up, and “The End” has some interesting melody… but otherwise… is this CD still playing?
(one and a half out of five horns)
Airbourne – Runnin’ Wild
So I just listened to the whole CD and it was over before I knew it. That’s a good sign, right? Well, it both is and it isn’t. Airbourne (who we first wrote about back in July) just delivered their U.S. debut Runnin’ Wild via Roadrunner Records, and it’s pretty much what you’d expect. Chock full of fist-pumping anthems, Airbourne summon their love for AC/DC in every song, and the result is an album that, had it said “AC/DC” on the label, I totally would’ve believed it. But the band members take that as a compliment, having grown up listening to their Australian forefathers. Lots of A, D and G chords assembled in various combinations (with the occasional C and E-minor thrown in) make for a good, partyin’ time, and with song titles like “Stand Up For Rock N’ Roll,” “Girls in Black,” and “Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women,” you can pretty much guess the lyrical content. As far as hooks go Airbourne deliver the goods song-in and song-out making for a fun listen, and even if they aren’t treading any new ground at all (which most certainly isn’t the point), Runnin’ Wild ends up being pretty satisfying.
(three and a half out of five horns)
-VN
