Western Death is a Medicine Hat punk band straight from the days that Tony Hawk was huge and the punk music you'd find on his games were rampant all over the place. There was a reason it was so popular, and that was because it was good; plain and simple. It was fast, simple, catchy and entertaining and this 2015 release is no different. Tyler Falk really brings the energy in the mix here, all the while maintaining that raw punk sound; the drums being one of my favorite parts of the mix all together. Regardless of the fact that the vocals may never win any awards for the most skilled or proficient, the vocals are in key, and a key factor of the onslaught that comes forward on this record. The instrumental section is very reminiscent of a faster, angrier Motörhead; with aspects of more hardcore punk influences and a touch of thrash metal. It's a beautiful thing to witness.
As far as punk albums go, this is pretty much the perfect punk album musically. It's fast, angry, simple, and catchy. Jim and the boys are on to something great here. Being a metal guy huge on diversity, I tend to gravitate to albums with more variety, and the songs on this album tend to bleed together in the choruses and become similar toward the middle. Not enough to turn you off of the experience, it all just comes with the genre and it's nothing that severely affects the rating at all.
Laying back and relaxing, or flying down the highway are the two best ways to enjoy this album. The only common denominator between the two is that it needs to be blasted in the stereo for full effect; Doctors orders!
1. Darkstar: Bass centric intro to kick off, catchy chorus, good simple guitar solo toward the end, favorite song off the album and a great opener. 10/10
2. Down the Chain: Super thrashy intro, cool bass interlude half way, very high energy. 9.5/10
3. Fucking Nothing Yet: Vocals here are at their catchiest, instruments lay down lovely ground work, great solo to close off final chorus. 9.5/10
4. Hyperborean: Shortest song on the album, catchy chorus. 9/10
5. Mechanical Time: One of the faster cuts, great solo half way. 9/10
6. Into the Grave: Simple guitar in the verse, easily the catchiest song on the album, heavy skate punk vibes. 9/10
7. Swerve and Reject: Fast and hard, the most old school punk of the album, best chorus transition. 9.5/10
8. Bull Shark: Sweet drum intro, amazing guitar solo, great closer. 10/10
Overall: 9.4/10
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