Skeleton begin Skeleton with “Skeleton”.
I can’t make this shit up!
But I digress.
Indescribable, eclectic, and unholy, the debut album from Austin, Texas’ Skeleton is a an equally riotous and raucous affair filled with larger-than-life Slayer-style riffage underneath of Black Metal viciousness.
The aforementioned opening salvo is a diabolically delectable driving dirge of Metal delight which barely scratches the surface of the fun to come like “Mark Of Death” which switches the pace ever so slightly with Victor Skeleton’s vocals and precision drumming paving a swath of aural destruction.
“The Sword” has some groovy, metallic goodness to start before the blast beats kick in and David Skeleton and Alex Guzman’s squealing guitars take off in a more shreddy direction. “Toad” bounces and lands in Swedish Punk/Metal territory for a bit before “Ring Of Fire” enters with a burning, yearning delivery from Victor on a track that’s as if someone transported some legendary breakdown by Slayer and expanded the monstrosity into a song of its’ own.
“At War” is tribalistic with a primitive thump before the fireworks begin and Victor’s throated growl lets loose, paving the way for a fiery reckoning while “Taste Of Blood” is a peek into the future of Thrash with heavy doses of Black Metal taking the genre in a fantastical new direction.
“Victory” lives on long after its’ 44 rifftastic seconds of life end, flowing into “A Far Away Land” and another primal stomp before the seemingly laid back rawk of “Turned To Stone” sets up a a false narrative which gives way to a furious charge towards an equally furious finish.
The finish in this case is “Catacombs”, a classic in the making that’s slow, deliberate and menacing through and through. Ominous like all the great Thrash epics of the ’80’s (Think “Sanitarium” and beasts of that nature), “Catacombs” quickly turns everything on its’ head and this relentlessly propulsive pounding from Victor begins and doesn’t let up until the final chords ring out. Add a bass breakdown from Cody Combs as a final glistening false floor of hope before the ground gives way, and the most monstrous of Metal ends closes the track and album in the most perfect way.
Skeleton releases on July 10th through 20 Buck Spin. Pre-orders are available now in a variety of formats and can be viewed and/or purchased by clicking here and here. For the latest on Skeleton, follow the trail of social media pages by clicking here or here.