SCORCHED EARTH

The Northwest U.S. Cult known as SCORCHED EARTH has been kicking around for a good many years now and continue to keep its vicious mix of thrash and black metal (with bits of doom and death) dirty as hell and rotten to the core. I recall reviewing 2003's "Gods, Kings, and Conquerors" and getting quite a bit of enjoyment out of it, but find it not nearly as ravaging as "Devils in Iron". Get your horns up now because SCORCHED EARTH ain't fuckin' around.

With vocals from guitarist Terry McCorriston that fall somewhere between VENOM and DARKTHRONE, and some seriously jagged riffs, unclean guitar solos, and breakneck tempos, "Devils in Iron" is a complete album that should get the band some well-deserved recognition. Making our way through the album, "Gods, Kings, & Conquerors" is the perfect album opener, displaying the group's command of speeding, blackened thrash with sharp turns into mid-tempo romps and a closing section that features a monolithic riff and slow march into pitch blackness. It's full speed thrash with a memorable chorus on "Scorched Earth, Black Wind & Hell Fire", and a plague-ridden plod on "Tetsuakuma", yet the boys can't help themselves and kick into high speed galloping to close out the latter track. A little VENOM and a little DARKTHRONE make their way into "Gargoyle's Eye", a basic and rockin' groover, while "The 22 Disciples" involves doom riffing, the licks bent and bloated, before the transforming once again into a power slammer. "War is Hell (But Combat's a Motherfucker)" and "Scorched Earth Armageddon" stay firmly in blackened thrash mode before the album closes with a somber and doomy track called "Gormenghast".

This is not an album for the clean cut and pretty crowd. Rather, it has been reserved solely for those of you interested in an old school spirit, a filthy sound, and an unrelenting black/thrash attack with songwriting that is more than worthy of your time. Still got that nasty taste in your mouth? Hope you enjoyed listening to "Devils in Iron".