The album cover may suggest second-rate sword’n’sorcery hokum, but in reality this is a vibrant roast of bullwhip riffs and headbutting melodies. You can hear Motörhead, Clutch, Scissorfight and The Godz locked in a tag-team fight, and the result is utterly enveloping.
These Aldershot nutters drive through walls with such a natural rhythm their songs become compulsive. Beyond The Valley and The Hustle set the trend, with a sleazy sneer and a distaste for anything that puts the brakes on the flow. But there’s far more than speed thrills. Abyssal Lord not only nods towards classical piece Hall Of The Mountain King, but even enters into more funky territory. And the tequila-soaked slowburn of Black And Blues suits a tale of all round indulgence in Mexico. Tight but never to the point of strangling the energy, this is a riotous second album.
