THROTTLEROD (Nail) CD
When I put the new disc from THROTTLEROD in my player, and the aggressive opener 'Prizefighter' does crash out of the speakers, I had to look for a second time on the cover just to make sure that this is really THROTTLEROD. Instead of heavy blues-laden rock the band integrated more Helmet-like riffs, which have been mixed with a small dose of punk rock. The next track 'Stand 'em up' is played in the same veín, and the band's energy level is impressive. The band has proven all this already on their debut 'Eastbound And Down' and 'Hell And High Water', but this time they're less bluesy. They've integrated a lot of unexpected breaks within some of their songs, without becoming one of this boring so-called math-rock groups. It's still heavy rock and despite all changes they know to surprise the listener with catchy refrains as for example in the title-song 'Nail' or the furious 'Teething'. Some of the here included tracks do remind me to the band's older material. 'Horse Paw' is definitely influenced by Soundgarden, while 'A Fly on the Fault Line' is one of the heaviest cuts of 'Nail'. The raw vocals of guitarist Matt Whitehead are in best shape and the dry-sounding production fits perfectly to the fresh renewed sound of THROTTLEROD. 'Nail' is a damn exciting and intensive album, that offers a lot of surprises even if you listen to over and over again. Excellent stuff!
(KK)
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