Metal Reviews

This record might as well have been dubbed 'King For A Day…Fool For A Lifetime' because 'The War Of Art' could well be the loudest, nastiest piece of neo-metal since the crazy world of Faith No More passed from our times.

That's not to imply that American Head Charge have no sense of melody - far from it in fact, because as FNM, producer Rick Rubin and even Slipknot's Corey Taylor all know, heaviness without melody is just one step away from absolute bollocks!

'Pushing The Envelope' epileptically flips between Wayne Kile's and David Roger's snarling guitars and some very Mike Patton-esque vocals from vocalist Martin Cock! (Yes that is his real name.)

It's a trick repeated more successfully on the following number 'Song For The Suspect' and standout track 'Just So You Know' where I even had to check to see whether the crooning former FNM front-man had done a guest spot!

Yet tracks such as 'Shutdown' and 'Breathe In, Bleed Out' are the unmistakable works of Lucifer on a crack binge!!

'We Believe' is reminiscent of FNM having their most lunatic, schizoid moment messed up with Static-X's machine-like beast.

Lyrically American Head Charge are in the same league as SOAD and Slipknot in as much that we're all fucked but America is going down face first, ever so neatly explained in the raging 'Americunt Evolving Into Useless Psychic Garbage'.

'War Of Art' is unquestionably a fucking ferocious meld of passion fuelled vocals and crushing sonic assaults, even if it's a tad too close to it's influences.

Released by American Recordings: http://www.americanrecordings.com/

Review by Chris Wheeler