Wolfbrigade     

Damned
Southern Lord 2012

Southern Lord has been making some great crust signings these days and Sweden's Wolfbrigade is no exception.  Longtime veterans of the scene, this is my first exposure to Wolfbrigade and I must say, Damned is a crusher of an album.  Musically this album is caught somewhere between Amebix and Tragedy.  The album opens with a firestorm of downtuned crust on Feed The Flames.  Imagine Amebix at their fastest and you'll have some idea of the relentless power of this track.  Road To Dreams begins ominously with a menacing riff and then shifts upwards into some punk grooves.  The track hurtles forward with singular focus which is only broken by a rockin' solo.  Which brings us into my favorite track on the album, the bouncing Curse of Cain!  The main riff chugs like a crust version of Boltthrower.  Melodic passages draw references to Tragedy, but the real clencher is the chorus, so catchy, yet filled with rage!   Sorrowful, clean guitar coats the beginning of Ride The Steel with a forlorn atmosphere.  However, thundering riffs and a despairing melodies ride across the top of a pounding beat.  An epic metal vibe draws the song towards its triumphant climax.  Hurricane Veins possess a groovy yet melodic disposition which makes the song surprisingly moving despite its aggression.  At times I am reminded of traditional Swedish death metal, perhaps in the vein of early Dismember.  The vocal pacing on Catch 22 brings to mind Axegrinder even though the song is less gloomy and the guitars rougher.  There is also a strong Motorhead vibe living in that song.  The speed and ferocity of the attack on Where No One Sleeps is a perfect stab of crusty proto-grind.  That songs just shreds the flesh off your skull.  After hearing Damned it blows my mind that this is my first album I have heard from these guys.  They are great.  The album is filled with simmering anger and crust-fueled aggression.  A charred and blackened landscape under sullen skies is all that remains after the album ends.