BUSHFIRE ~ SNAKES BITE TALES .... review

Bushfire, current line up Bill Brown (vocals); Miguel Pereira (guitar); Luis Jacobi (guitar) Nic Kurz (bass) and Sascha Holz (drums), are a band who have been knocking around this scene for a while now but strangely, despite sharing stages with some of the scenes biggest guns, have never quite achieved the levels of recognition their sludgy take on blues and southern metal so richly deserves. Hopefully that state of affairs will change with the release of latest album "Snakes Bite Tales" a heavy punching opus that sees the ban, jamming some of the best, in our opinion, grooves they have recorded since their inception

Opening track "Cult of Conformity" comes out of the traps full on and forceful then settles down into a mid-tempo chugging groove over which the songs lyrics are delivered in tones gruff throaty and powerful the vocalist coming over at times like a prime period Phil Anselmo (Pantera/Down) against a backdrop of ever-shifting riffage, unbelievably busy drumming and piercing lead guitar work. Next song ,"Force Of 1000 Suns", is a thunderous opus with ear-catching guitar motifs and forceful raw edged vocals and is followed by "Dead Man's Hand" a throbbing heavy metal bluesy rocker that sees the band coming over like a hardcore version of Creedence Clearwater Revival in places. Things get a little doomic and lightly psychedelic on the slightly more restrained "Self Inflicted Bite" but then go in a Clutch-like direction on the pulsating "Comfort In Silence". "Under Willow Tree" starts its life down home and bluesy with slide guitars, liquid bass and shimmering percussion framing wearied vocal tones but then slowly increases in volume and intensity to take on a torch-like dynamic before signing off in a crescendo of strident rhythms and searing solos. You might need to fasten your seatbelts for the furious and hard driven "Watch You Drown"  a pacey heavy rocker that gives no quarter musically or vocally. "Valley Of The Freak" is a perfect mixture of southern rock swagger and heavy metal bluster with vocals that sway between laid back crooning and full on roaring over a groove that is constantly shifting up and down its gears. Final song "InTERRORgate" incorporates slurred grungy guitar riffage with doomic rhythm patterns and tops it all off with vocal tones that range from hushed whispers to full on harshness while making stops at all the various dynamics in-between, a mighty finish to a damn mighty album.

Those who are familiar with Bushfire and their output will know that these guys put their hearts and souls into everything they do and that is why there is no such thing as a bad Bushfire release. "Snake Bite Tales" is no different, in fact it maybe their best release to date... well that is until the next one.

Check it out ....

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