Def-Con-One

Warhead

Remember when metal was really angry? I know it seems so long ago now, but think back to the time when Anselmo barked at us to "walk on home boy". Def-Con-One are angry, fucking hell are they angry, and they’re all the better for it. There are great chugging riffs here. Great brutal ball-breaking riffs, unashamedly designed for losing your shit in mosh pits to. Set this against the unrelenting thumping of the drums and it makes for an irresistible package.

Album opener 'Never Look Back' sets the pace for the album. The drums here almost break into grindcore dynamics and show no sign of slowing time as time signatures come into play with the heavy guitars. The call-and-response vocals on tracks such as 'Warface' really gel together with the classic thrash / groove metal styling to provide a fresh take on the genre. Whilst the screaming is top notch stuff, the actual singing at times proves to be a bit lacklustre.

My biggest problem with the album is that after a while it all becomes a bit samey. The chugging guitar sometimes seem like minor variations on a theme, and the 'hit shit as hard and fast as you can' drumming sometimes gets a little jarring. The absolute low-point is the the one attempt at variety, the mawkish slow number 'Feeling Cold'. Its overly simple acoustic guitar work is almost embarrassing as it's so derivative. I know metal bands do this to keep things different, but it always turns out to be the same shitty ballad.

Overall, the brutality of this album is awe-inspiring, but it’s let down a little by its longevity.

#Albums #Def-Con-One #Groove Metal #Scarlet Records #Thrash Metal #Wayne Chuter