Social Stain 2017
Social Stain
Lahti’s hard ‘n’ heavy hunters head for heaven by inheriting hackneyed heft and honing it anew.
If ’90s to noughties didn’t bode well for metal, smearing grime all over its shiny surfaces, this Finnish ensemble aren’t ashamed to reference what many consider artificial angst just because they see wonder in our world which may need improvement on musical front among others. That’s where the unhurried urgency of tracks such as ” (Ain’t Got) Time To Bleed” comes from. Yet there’s enough old-school spring in their step, and once a bass throb has ushered the listener into “Breakout” with guitar rage blowing cobwebs away, rock ‘n’ roll riffs are firmly rooted into the ground the quartet proudly stand and stomp on.
And that’s where the layered depth of “Red Star Rising” is revealed, baring burning emotions so, for all the irresistibility of cuts like “Joke’s On You” whose choruses are bound to bounce off the crowd, a serious intent will unfold behind the band’s bravado. Obvious on “Walls” – the sharpest diatribe on display – this stance is coming to the fore on “At Peace” which could be a sequel “The Unforgiven” if the guys cared to admit it. But who would care about that if the vocals and instruments tie a tight knot on the title track making the group’s debut as gripping as metal tropes get. Dirty is good, after all.
***1/3
