Almost Dead : "Destruction is All We Know"

What I am going to be paying the most attention to going into the San Francisco-based band's newest effort, are the places where they stand out from the pack and establish their own identity. While opening the album with a song about warheads in the sky is certainly timely, and I can only hope more bands spread this kind of apocalyptic message, I prefer it delivered in a manner that just doesn't; hammer it in such a blast of fury that it is devoid of all dynamics. The vocals begin to veer away from just barking at you and come closer to singing on the second song.  This is an important thing since they thrash bands whose names have stood the test of time thanks to songs that are memorable, all used vocals that stand out rather than being an afterthought. 

These guys are committed to their rapid-fire attack, but break from it to form a more Pantera-like groove on"Eight Eyes Black". Lyrically it leaves something to be desired, but even if they are paying tribute to Pantera, this finds them heading into a more nuanced direction of songwriting. The rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make, so it hits a song like "Nightmare Coming" pretty hard. However, the vocalist proves he has some screams that vary from what we hear before. "Within the Ashes" does find the band taking inspiration from melodic death metal in the manner the guitars form a melody, but in terms of a song that has something to say and a way to hook that message in, they are less effective here. I like the darker direction the song finds itself in at the end. 

"Agent of Chaos" races through a more feral attack than what the bulk of bands normally worshipping Pantera engage in, which might be due to these guys coming from more of a hardcore background. The only problem is if you lived through the original peak of Pantera's popularity you have already heard a great deal of bands doing this sort of thing. "Brutal Devotion' is more deliberate and thus becomes more memorable. The chorus hooks you in with more purpose. The last song kind of blasts by in a thrashing hurry. I will give this album an 8, there are strong moments and it does take me back to a place in time when music was better than it is today, if you are going to pick a band to honor in 2024 Pantera seems a smart choice as their legacy continues to prove it's worth. 

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