California natives Mudface released their 2nd album The Bane of Existence on March 18. With a goal of proving metal is not dead, Mudface has brought new life to the genre with this album.
The opening track of this album,”Fed to the Lions”, has some of the best metal vocals I have heard in a long time. The depth in Chris Dinsmore’s voice is almost frightening but in a way that makes you crave more. To showcase his talent in such a way was a great way to start this album. As we enter the bridge the guitar cries out as Brett Crane sings “We ourselves are tainted heroes.”. It is impossible not to feel emotional.
Drummer Tim Davis is the man grabbing our attention in the beginning of “Down Below”. Davis is incredibly talented and sounds as if he is performing a solo at a live show ; all ears are on him. He is quickly joined by father/son team Rob and Grant Kolowitz on guitar and Jim Pegram on bass. If the drums did not wake you up, the bass and guitar enter with a punch like beat to ensure we will not miss a moment. It was an interesting choice to start the song this way but I really think it pays off. The first twenty seconds of this song may be my favorite example of instrumentals on the entire album. The guitar and bass rift continues throughout the song never allowing us to lose the high. My only complaint about this song is each verse seems rushed. However we slow down at the bridge and it sounds like an entirely new song. My favorite metal bands are the ones that can bring the highs and lows to each song instead of one sound.
The final tracks on the album slow things down a bit. “The Anthem” and “The Watchers” are very powerful tracks but they bring a softer tone to the album.
It is easy to scream into a microphone and call yourself a metal band. For that reason I believe it is a challenge to distinguish yourself in this genre and remain relevant. To bring depth into each song is the challenge and is what allows us to identify the true musicians. That is what Mudface has done with The Bane of Existence. They have proved that metal is alive and well.
Key Tracks: Fed to the Lions, HellFoot, Down Below, The Anthem.
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