High Reeper, Zach Thomas (vocals); Pat Daly (rhythm guitars); Justin Di Pinto (drums); Jimmy Althouse (bass) and Shane Trimble (lead guitars) may share a label with bands of a stoner and heavy psych persuasion but they are not strictly a stoner or a heavy psych outfit, they may have appeared on a split release with Hippie Death Cult entitled "Doom Sessions Vol.5" but neither are they what you would consider an out and out doom band. What High Reeper are is a kick-ass, no fucks given, straight down the line heavy metal unit who although may toy with elements of doom are not its flag bearers. Granted High Reeper are no Iron Maiden or Judas Priest but still there is no way you are going to mistake their galloping rhythms and thrumming refrains for anything other than metal of the heavy variety, especially when those rhythms and refrains are topped off with big clean, if somewhat gritty, commanding vocals and neo-classical flavoured guitar solos. The band has just released "Renewed By Death" (Heavy Psych Sounds Records) the long awaited follow up to previous releases "High Reeper" and "Higher Reeper" an album that some might call (us included) their "highest" achievement to date.
Things start well with opening/title track "Renewed By Death" the song introducing itself with tasty neo-classical noodling played over a sparse but effective chord progression before suddenly exploding into a metallic semi thrash like groove driven by minimalistic, but nevertheless thunderous, drumming and low growly bass. Vocals here are a little rougher and grittier than you might expect to hear within the genre of heavy metal but they are nonetheless powerful commanding and delivered with real conviction. "Alluring Violence" follows and is all chugging riffage and four to the floor rhythms interspersed with bursts of pyrotechnical shredded guitar, the accompanying vocals boasting a semi-sung/semi shouted dynamic which fit the songs lyrical content perfectly. Vocals for next song "Lamentations Of The Pale" are a little more melodic and musical than those delivered on the previous track and are backed by a groove that totally justifies the bands inclusion on Heavy Psych Sounds Records Doom Sessions series while "Broken Upon The Wheel" is a hard to ignore chugging yet atmospheric behemoth featuring a great vocal melody and some searing guitar work. "Jaws Of Darkness" opens dark and moody then settles down into a crunchy metal groove that has an early solo Ozzy Osbourne torch song feel, the song also boasts one of the albums best guitar solos."Smoldering Remains" sees High Reeper utilizing sampled movie narrative to flesh out their metal, twinning those samples with thick throbbing riffage and pummelling rhythms that support a powerful hook heavy vocal melody. "Torn From Within" sees the vocals reverting back to the slightly shouty dynamics that decorated "Alluring Violence" but are here backed by a groove that sits just a few BPM's shy of thrash-like. Final number "Echoes OF Mortality" begins its life moody and atmospheric but then erupts into a groove buoyed by crushing saw-toothed riffage, grizzled bass lines and punchy busy percussion that in its initial stages rocks a more stoner metal-like dynamic but in its later stages takes on a more classic heavy metal stance before finally signing off in a wave undulating and ambient flavoured guitar textures.
High Reefer have with "Renewed By Death" made an album that will appeal to fans of traditional heavy metal as well as those whose allegiances lean a little more towards stoner and doom. They have that heavy metal chug and gallop thing nailed down to T but also have in their locker elements of the low'n'slow and the raucous and gritty, these guys are basically the full package.
Check 'em out ....
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