Review: Slower ‘Rage And Ruin’

As I’ve stated previously, I feel Bob Balch is one of the best guitarists in the ‘stoner’ scene today. First brought into Fu Manchu to replace soon-to-be Nebula frontman Eddie Glass, Balch established himself as a guitar player’s guitar player. His website playthisriff.com was a boon to six-stringers as it assembled players from all over the scene, and while I haven’t had the privilege of being one of his students, I have heard nothing but great things about his online sessions.

Slower 'Rage And Ruin' Artwork
Slower ‘Rage And Ruin’ Artwork

He’s also quite the melodic merchant in projects such as Big Scenic Nowhere and Yawning Balch, showcasing his talents outside the realm of high-octane desert rock. But he also has a metal side, and this was evidenced by Slower’s excellent self-titled release earlier this year. Fear not Slayer fans, for Mr. Balch has given us yet another release with Rage And Ruin off of Heavy Psych Sounds. Only this time, we are treated to original material in a somewhat unexpected take.

Part of Slower’s genesis was Balch’s idea of pairing female vocalists with this doomified take on Orange County’s finest thrash band to give it a unique vibe. Year Of The Cobra’s Amy Tung Barrysmith returns with her ghostly singing as well as providing bass and piano, with Balch and Monolord’s Esben Willems holding down the drums.

Hellfire is a menacing opener with plenty of apocalyptic imagery worthy of Tom Araya’s lyric sheet. Barrysmith claims she had no shortage of inspiration with today’s troubled landscape, and this growling doom metal track shows it, proving immediately that Slower are more than just a tribute act.

proving immediately that Slower are more than just a tribute act…

Chemical Warfare moves along with a fairly brisk pace, if not perhaps the breakneck thrash rhythm of the original song. It also does something the original didn’t do… it showcases a fantastic guitar solo (sorry Kerry, I will say no more…). Often the best cover songs are those that do their own thing while still paying tribute to the source material, which is exactly what this does.

Gates Of Hell gives off an aptly Trouble vibe (no small irony considering that Trouble experienced a difficult tour with Slayer in the ‘80s). The doom riffage snakes along while Barrysmith reassures us that ‘we’ll burn in hell together some day’ as Willems lays down a graceful grooving beat. He’s a great example of a less-is-more approach to drumming.

Sins Of The Dead by contrast hits with a Windhand-ish flavor but with a bit more dynamism in the guitars. It’s probably my favorite track and warrants repeated listens. A mid-tempo rendition of the classic Haunting The Chapel rounds out the Slayer covers, perhaps doing an even better job of conveying a haunted feeling. Finally, the record’s title track, Rage And Ruin, comes into play, with Barrysmith showcasing a forlorn piano melody prior to Balch and Willems bringing down the hammer once again. It gives up a somewhat gothic/death doom vibe and is a fine way to end the album.

Back in January, Slower showed us they can do mean and nasty takes on Slayer’s back catalog, but with Rage And Ruin they have shown they are more than capable of leaving the shadow of their namesake and primary inspiration while forging great new material of their own. Balch is just as much of a metal master as a high desert rocker, and Barrysmith and Willems make for formidable accompanying musicians. Slower might not be taking this so slow, in fact, they are probably just getting started. 

Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Band Links: Facebook | Instagram

Scribed by: Rob Walsh