(16) : "Guides For the Misguided"

 

This band's past two albums were in the Top 5 of the Top 10 Metal albums for 2022 and 2020. They continue to deliver with their 10th full length. This album came about during the mixing of the previous album so it picks up where they left off with an aggressive sludge attack. "Hat on a Bed" finds the pace picking up to a taunt tension that is somewhat thrash-influenced. The vocals are barked out with a bit of hard-core grit, though no shocking changes to the overall sound. A creepy piano piece leads into "Blood Atonement Blues" with a ripping guitar solo, that has rock god bombast leading the way. It's darker and more melodic with the vocals more sung than snarled. You can a subtle Lynyrd Skynyrd influence that reminds me a little of "On the Hunt". 

They go in a more Corrosion of Conformity direction on "Fortress of Hate".  It has a very deliberate groove to it. I saw the video for "Proudly Damned" a week before getting the album, so it's nice to hear how it fits in the context of the album. It has a heavier crunch than the first four songs. For these guys "Fire and Brimstone Inc" is a more mainstream rock song. Though it carries more heft than what you are going to hear on the radio. They continue down this sonic path on "Desperation Angel' though the vocals remind me of Henry Rollins mid 90s solo work. This album's strength is its knack for writing catchy songs that still manage to carry grit. Though in all honesty, it is the most accessible material this band has churned out. 

"Resurrection Day" works off a tightly coiled groove. The vocals have improved since the last album with the more throaty screams only used for accents most of the time. The vocals still carry menace despite this. They could have picked a band that fit what they do better than Bad Brains though to make the most of "Give Thanks and  Praises". "Kick Out the Chair' works off a powerful chug. The vocals work well on this one. It's more of a 90s melding of stoner metal and sludge. The cover of Superchunk's "The Tower" works better than the Bad Brains song. I'll round this up to a 10 as the more nuanced vocals give the songs more depth.It's dropping on Relapse Records.  

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