Review by Sandre the Giant
Slowly morphing their way into the Electric Wizard of death metal (aesthetically at least), the new EP from horror loving death metallers Heads for the Dead continues that Hammer Horror-esque album art and pays homage to the horrors that have inspired them. Their last two full lengths have been killer examples of no frills death metal, and ‘Slash ‘n’ Roll’ looks to continue that. It is out in November through Transcending Obscurity.
Opener ‘Maniac’ kicks into gear with a chunky death ‘n’roll attitude; all early 90s deaththrash riffs and a thick atmosphere coating savage growls. It breaks down into a visceral chug; atonal melody circling a central weightiness before taking off with the charm and rage of early Possessed or Entombed. ‘Halloween’ has an immediately recognisable intro and adapts the classic movie theme into a crusty, death metal rager. ‘The Thing’ is eerie as fuck, just like the movie I suppose, and is one of the best songs I’ve heard this year in death metal or anywhere. It just absolutely hits the spot, you know? Heads for the Dead close off this EP with furious covers of the Misfits’ ‘Skulls’ and The Ramones’ ‘Pet Sematary’, both of which work really well as crustpunk death metal anthems. Maybe it helps that thematically they’re spot on too, but it’s always nice to see a band take a little risk on a cover song or two at times. Of the two, I think I like ‘Skulls’ better but only just.
A stop gap release (a new full length is in the works) but one that has a lot of merit. The reinterpretation of classic horror movie themes into death metal songs is clever and well done, while the two covers suits the theme and also this nasty, crusted stylistic shift too. Maybe their new full length will mix in this sound with their more traditional death metal approach? Let’s hope so, because Heads for the Dead fucking rule and so does this.
https://www.facebook.com/headsforthedead
https://www.facebook.com/transcendingobscurityrecords/
https://transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com/
The Killchain 