EARTHRIDE (Taming Of The Demons) CD
Is it an earthquake or a big black train that comes out of my speakers? No, it's the long awaited full-length debut of Maryland's EARTHRIDE and to sum it up with one word: it KILLS! Seven brandnew tracks with everything what a true lover of heavy doom-laden music needs. Riffs, where other bands would sold their mother for and grooves, played so tight and heavy so that only dumb people can sit still. Brutal and soulful in the same moment! That these guys are total authentic in what they are doing is a fact nobody can deny and especially drummer Eric Little (ex-Internal Void) and vocalist Dave Sherman (ex-Heavy Soul / Wretched / Spirit Caravan) are something like veterans in the heavy music "scene". And Dave's whiskey burned vocals were never sounding so incredible and amazing like here. The mammoth wall of guitar of Kyle (sonic titan) VanSteinburg blankets over the super-tight rythm section, where bass-player Joe Ruthvin fills every hole in this mighty and weighty wall of sound.
If you have listen to their self-titled 4-song CD-EP, released in 2000 on their own label Earth Brain than you know what I'm talking about. But "Taming of the Demons" is much better (it doesn't mean that the EP was worse!), due to the reason that EARTHRIDE have developed in songwriting and they've integrated some excellent breaks into the songs. And once again they've worked together with the highly acclaimed MD producer Chris Kozlowski (Pentagram, The Obsessed, Internal Void , Spirit Caravan) so that the result will leave you speechless. For me, Chris is still the No. 1 when it comes to this kind of music. After the Place Of Skulls debut "Nailed" this album is the next highlight in 2002 and as long as original heavy bands like EARTHRIDE will roll over this earth (and a few others, too) heavy doom rock is still alive, no matter how much wimpy and trendy heavy shit will be released in the dark and uncertain future. This one is definitly a must-have!!!! Buy or die!!! SO LOUD, SO ALIVE ALL HEAVY THE EARTHRIDE!!! Released on the one and only Southern Lord label (thanks a lot, Greg!), so go there and place your order. For news and infos about EARTHRIDE, check their website. And now, me and my buddies are waiting for the first European tour...!
(KK)