The south will rise again! The debut record by Oklahoma metallers Anti-Mortem comes In fairly strong.
The opening track "Words Of Wisdom" pretty much sets the mood of pissed the fuck off that continues through much of the record. The groove laden tracks that follow have a mix of metal and southern rock obviously influenced by Pantera and Texas Hippie Coalition with Lynyrd Skynyrd thrown into the mix. The best way i can describe it is a heavier version of Blackberry Smoke. One of the best tracks of the album is "Black Heartbeat" which is definitely the most melodic of the album. It feels like a Saving Abel song but enjoyable. The following ("I Get Along With The Devil") sounds almost identical to a Mudvayne, or more accurately a Hellyeah song.
The latter half of the album is fun but pretty run of the mill until it gets to "Stagnant Water" where it picks back up. "Truck Stop Special" has a more country feel to it, definitely bringing the southern vibe to the forefront. Closing it out is a cover of Mr. Big's "A Little Too Loose" most likely based due to it's setting I'm Oklahoma City, which is a good rendition but definitely a filler track.
What stands out here are the vocals. When,frontman Larado Romo, doesn't feel the need to be purely aggressive without any trace of melody it is incredibly effective.
While this may not be a record of the year, it is a hell of a debut. It does show promise and I'm excited for album two. However, it is more for fans of southern rock more so than metal. Yee Haw!
On a side note, look at that cover. It's the Grim Reaper riding through the civil war. That's fucking metal.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Notable Tracks:
"Black Heartbeat"
"Stagnant Water"
"Truck Stop Special"
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