Antiseen, The Boys from Brutalsville

So, I popped in Antiseen’s latest, The Boys from Brutalsville, with absolutely no expectations. And it turns out that the supposed “Scourge of the Carolinas” has created a decent metal disc, which, coming from me, is really saying something. The CD has the Southern toughness of Pantera coupled with the raw dirtiness of Mötörhead, as well as the short-but-sweet-ness of the Ramones.

Jeff Clayton sounds like Lemmy Kilmister sans the British accent. He has that barely-trying, almost-talking quality that makes Lemmy instantly recognizable. Joe Young, Doug Canipe, and Sir Barry Hannibal form a backing band that displays influences of classic rock, blues, and, of course, metal. They create a solid driving wall of sound that is both simplistic and complex, and most importantly, each song is distinct, with its own set of riffs and drum lines. The occasional infusion of piano and organ by Jamie Hoover not only sounds cool, but also shows that the piano is an extremely versatile instrument. It can be used to create mood in any type of song.

The cover of The Ramones’ “Commando” not only sounds great, but it meshes perfectly with the rest of the record. The band does what is always necessary when covering a song — they make it their own. To the unknowing listener, this song could easily pass for one written by the band for the record. All in all, The Boys from Brutalsville rocks. It’s more of a “traditional” sounding metal CD — no sampling, no computer enhancement, just straightforward rock — and that sort of thing is hard to find these days, so this disc should have a welcome place on your CD shelf.