SLUGPUNCHER (s/t) MCD-R
Most of you will be unacquainted with the name SLUGPUNCHER, but hopefully this will change very soon, because this band consists of guitarist/vocalist Jeff Hayward and drummer John Heidenreich, which both are former members of the inimitable Grief. Not to forget, that John Heidenreich was the bassist in Noosebomb from 2005 - 2006, and maybe some of you already know that it's Jeff's other band. So this isn't for the first time where both are playing together. Jeff Hayward, who was also co-founder of Grief, is the main reason why this band is reminiscent of Grief because his massive guitar-sound and his brutal vocals are simply unmistakable. Everyone who thinks, that a bass is missing should listen very close to SLUGPUNCHER, because the guitar stuffs every hole here. John Heidenrich is not only a talented guitarist and bassist, but also an excellent drummer. This demo, that was recorded in 2008, comprised five great and varied tracks, and despite the resemblance with Grief here a lot of differences to find. SLUGPUNCHER is abundantly clear influenced from 80's Thrash Metal and accelerate the pace very often and even a slight punky impact has found its way into their songs, but it's never so obvious as in Noosebomb. Even though this is only a demo the overall sound is damn powerful and floors everything like a tank. It's so heavy, that other bands can only dream about having a sound like this and the grooves unfold a destructive energy like a wrecking ball. Just like Grief, SLUGPUNCHER give a shit about any trends. This is filthy, ultra-heavy, aggressive Metal, how it can only be played by ex-members from Grief. For me this is the best demo I received in a long time and I can't wait until SLUGPUNCHER will release their debut, because this is a real band and not only a project. Killer!
(KK)
www.myspace.com/slugpuncher