“Son of Sodom”: Somehow, Persuader Persuade Me

If everything I’ve ever hated in the past is any indication, than I should completely loathe Persuader’s new single, “Son of Sodom.” This kind of growl-free “modern metal” (I don’t think anyone ever really knows what to call it — it’s kind of power metal, but not really) is just not my cup of tea. I go for Hatebreed-style punch-someone-in-the-face triumph, not, like, operatically triumphant triumph. I mean, I think the verses are what David Draiman imagines Disturbed sounds like, and the nicest thing I can think to say about Disturbed is that they’re none of their music is playing within my earspace right now.

But I’ll be damned if I don’t enjoy “Son of Sodom.” In fact, I listened to it twice in a row — the second time simply to make sure I hadn’t lost my goddamned mind. Nope. Really good.

The thing is (and I know this is a shitty cop-out for a music blogger, so I apologize), but I can’t quite put my finger on why I enjoy Persuader and hate so much other stuff that is very much in the same style as Persuader. Part of it might be the decidedly Loomisescent guitar solos, part of it might be that the riffs sound fairly nefarious (albeit in an exaggerated, Grimm’s Fairy Tales-kinda way), and part of it might be that there’s a vaguely melancholic aspect to it, kinda like the clean vocal parts of the best Mercenary songs.

Listen to “Son of Sodom” below and see if you agree with me or you think I’m off my rocker or what:

“Son of Sodom” appears on Persuader’s The Fiction Maze, which will be released in Europe on January 17 and in North America on January 21 via Inner Wound Recordings. Japan has it now, courtesy of Avalon/Marquee. I’m gonna go listen to the rest now to see if I dig the whole thing or what the what is going on here.