Another throwback to my Popblerd! writing days! I knew it had been some time since ASG had released some new stuff but surely something had come out that I missed in the interim of my writing there and here, right? Nope! It’s been five years since that last album (For a flashback to that review, head here) and ASG has returned with this blistering, burgeoning, beautiful beast of a new album.
If “Survive Sunrise” is a statement of intent, “Execution Thirst” is the final nail in the coffin solidifying this is going to be one helluva ride. With this big phat ass riff like a mix of modern Metallica and classic Mastodon (Think the breakdown in “Hardwired” mixes with “Iron Tusk”), “Execution Thirst” administers the heavy goods with a heavenly heft and commanding crunch.
“Up From My Dreams” will keep listeners on their toes especially when Jason Shi opens up his maw and switches from clean vocals to the shrieking wake up call that begins the song. On the other hand, “Hawks on the Run” is the first track to actual ease up and is a trippy, psych-laden groover which leads into “The Heaven Moon” to build on the grooves even more.
“God Knows We” returns to the riff-centric status quo and is a heavy shredder built on drummer Scott Key’s impeccable timekeeping and boisterous bashing while “Lamb Song” is akin to an Alice In Chains banger from back in the day then shifts into desert rawk gear as Shi’s singular vocal lines set it apart from AIC’s uncanny vocal harmonies.
“Florida Sleep On” is like this glorious anthem that moves and drives with Shi’s voice working in perfect harmony with the instruments switching between that screech and a clean vocal line while solos fly, drums bash, and Andy Ellis’ basses lay down some thunder. It’s one of those songs that justifies why a “repeat” button was ever created.
Does closer “Tied Tongues” let up after that riff blasting? Hell fucking no! While not as head on intense, this one comes at you like a Queens of the Stone Age Rated R jam recorded in 2018 (Their modern version of “I Think I Lost My Headache”, if you will). And with that declaration, Survive Sunrise is over.
Survive Sunrise is out now through Relapse so you have no excuse to sit on this phenomenal record. You can get yours by clicking below or here or here. For the latest on ASG, head on over here.
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