Rhino King – “Beneath The Waves”
Now, Rhino King has all these tags like- “atmospheric, sludge doom metal,” and though, that sounds pretty good to me, I don’t think that’s exactly accurate.
Though minor key music and dissonance is prevalent in sludge and doom those style usually indicate very slow parts that I do not find here.
I look at these guys as more traditional metal with influences of doom in the music and death and hardcore in the vocals. And though, not a retro band by any means, are at least, a more traditional one.
And for me this is fine because I hear the solid, heavy, headbanging hit of the drums, the loud arpeggiated or power chords of the guitar, the in-your-face, intense vocals and I think this is great stuff and it doesn’t matter what you call it.
Because this is strong, intense, powerful, passionate metal and if you can honestly use those terms with your metal than any category is unneeded.
Because what you have is a powerful, passionate, perfect, potent mix guaranteed to pulverize and pound you into death or ecstasy.
Let’s see which one the cards deal?
“Drawn And Quartered” starts with an intense, slow, pounding beat and a vocal that isn’t a growl or a scream but is somehow dancing on the third rail while electricity leaps out of the singer’s lungs. The lyrics are kind of the stuff from 70’s prog bands meaning- indecipherable not in legibility but sense. “Beast draw hempen rope tight, you’ll earn your pieces.” While I eat my Reece’s, but no worries. With a rhythm that is so nailed to the floor and gut punching, and with a vocal that’s as inflammatory as Rage Against The Machine, I’ll bang my head to this in oblivious glee. This is metal that is pure and powerful and complete.
BTW- I think most people have heard the term “drawn and quartered” before but may not know what it means. In the middle ages it was a form of execution where they sliced your torso open with a knife into four parts, like a tic-tac-toe game, and then extracted your heart while you were still breathing. I have had this done to me, several times, and believe me, it hurts!)
“Pillage” starts with some feedback until a martial lick plops in against another strong, heavy beat. The vocals are a kind of “call and response” which is used in gospel but I don’t think that influence rings true here. What you have instead is a pounding, intense lick with a pounding, sold rhythm and pounding, abrasive vocals more hardcore or death in these traditional metal trappings. “A crass breed, blood trees, bathed in the storied memories.” I know when I plant my blood trees it’s very important to have proper irrigation and to bathe them regularly in storied memories. But lyrics aside, this song just beats and pummels your senses to a bloody, fractured pulp with it’s intensity and strength. And you pick your ears up, after seeing them being demolished, with a grin beaming from your face.
“Cullum” starts with some incidental sound and feedback that ricochet’s off the speakers while some monolithic chords come cycling in destroying your sound system and your nervous system as well. Once the vocals barge in, a funky, hard hitting beat from the tight rhythm section sets up the the guitar to buzz and dissonant-ly riff to its heart’s content. I recognized this song from the only live set I’ve seen them play and it’s my favorite song by them. And the powerful drums gave me the clue. But the bass, guitar and vocals are all equally awesome and awe-inspiring.
Rhino King is a band that is a “crass breed that thunders across threaded foothills.”
But my foothills, like my blood trees, are unthreaded- so it’s of no mind to me.
But if you want some metal that disregards the trends but doesn’t wallow in the past and still wallops with the power of the best- and you should…it’s here.
If you want some metal that bangs your head into the pavement, leaving a permanent dent while your brains spill across the pavement- well…I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone!
But if you want some metal that is full of passion, power and fun- and you should…it’s here.
Give these guys a listen, some great metal is here for the taking.
And you should….it’s here.
(Slimedog)
