In 2003, when The Grohl finally pieced together the Who’s Who jigsaw that was Probot, many rejoiced as they found obscure metal legends galore on one wholly unmusical hunk of genius plastic. Here, with This is Menace, the finest of the UK’s metal scene have been brought together on a similarly constructed opus by Pitchshifter’s thunder section.
There is an air of malevolence shrouding tracks like ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ featuring Jeff Walker from 80s Midlands death metal merchants Carcass and ‘The Nameless’. Sadly, the latter’s evil air has more to do with the striking vocal resemblance of Paul McCallion of Scottish melodic metallers Hiding Place to that baldie from Staind.
The lucrative cameos from Colin Doran (Hundred Reasons) and Matt Davies (Funeral for a Friend) have kindly resulted in some rather atypical hedonistic behaviour from the main unit-shifters on this record. While the constraints of their day job bands may limit their artistic spectrum, these side projects (also see: Lucky Nine) unleash the wild beasts within these men without the fear of alienating their target demographics.
Just as Lemmy “dragging his black cacophonous cowboy boots” was the pinnacle of Probot, Karl Middleton – possibly one of the finest metal vocalists of our time – appearing on ‘Totality’ with his guttural yell and soaring melody is the clincher here. While there is not a huge level of variation in songs here it is performed in that peerless brutal and uncompromising style of British metal. None more metal. Too much metal for one hand. Metal your face off. Whatever. Metal. Metal. Metal.
-
8Raziq Rauf's Score