Tuskasi's Blog

Current mood:excited

In the case of the defendant Bloodred Hourglass from Mikkeli, the Tuskasi court brought in a verdict of guilty – this band is definitely at fault for bringing good old earthbound, straightforward Trash Metal to the omnivorous yaps of their home country's Metal scene, and far beyond.

With their second, self-financed EP the five guys produced a consequential sequel to their previous releases "Under The Black Flag" (2008) and "Relevant Annihilator" (2006). Like a duck takes to water BRHG offer yet again their trusted missile of Trash and Death, flavored with nice melodies and this very own distinctive groove, as if they'd be in the business for years already.

Every note and word on "Verdict" sounds so natural and unconventional that you can feel the fellows' joy of playing. From the first seconds of "Manners of Mace" BRHG put the pedal to the Metal and don't rest for a spell until the last riffs on "Lex Talianis" have died out. Again there is that bitchy, aggressive energy in every song that won’t let loose. Only Jarkko Koukonen's vocal performance seems too monotonous and colorless after the second s in the nearly same pitch and speed all the time. Even the later addition of various background voices can't cheat this fact. It rather reminds, surely unintended, a bit like Children of Bodom - and that BRHG is not in need of.

Still, with "Verdict" BRHG keep their wheel of groove and guts spinning and show once more, that the concept of Thrash meets Death hasn't expired yet, especially when well played. They are not close to perfection yet, but the guys control their craft and are definitely one of the better in that branch. Indeed, it is yet again out of all reason why they still haven't been snatched by a label, "Verdict" could easily line up next to other crunchy Metal releases of 2008/2009. So, verdict delivered: Listener-friendly, pit-suitable, grooving into ears and bones. In-your-face like having the shits on judgment day.

8/10

Claudia Schwarz – 16.04.2009