Blood of the Tyrant - Blood of the Tyrant

Chicago's Blood of the Tyrant have released a impressive EP here that will appeal to a wide range of metal heads, stoner rockers and even some indie rock fans might something to get their rocks off to with the 4 songs on display here. The band's sound has a striking similarity to Mastodon but there is also sounds and grooves that have a punk/metal crossover sound like Corrosion Of Conformity but with a more progressive rock edge. Influences aside, they still have their own sound especially when it comes to putting together their songs with interesting arrangements. "Flaw of the Sentient Being" hits you right between the eyes and ears with some heavy duty but melodic guitar riffing while a second guitar provides some strong harmonies. The band don't stick to the obvious however especially when Josh Primack makes his appearance on vocals, he has a sound you don't really expect to hear within the framework of the song. He sounds downright menacing at times, verging on pure evil. When the song gets a boost in tempo towards the end of the track, it is nothing short of a metallic onslaught. "The Gunslinger" slows things a little with a kind of a "Clutch" like groove before once again the guitar duo of Primack and Galaboff take the song to a whole other level. Things change again with the third "Helena", this tune has a more progressive bluesy sound interspersed with grooves sounding a little bit like "Baroness" but without the indie influences that plagues a lot of that band's sound. "Helena" is a showcase for the band's instrumental abilties leaving the vocals to make a appearance only when the song really needs it. Chris Avgerin must also get some kudos for some excellent drum work, his playing is top-notch throughout the entire EP. "Helena" is over 10 minutes long but the expansive arrangement makes it a very easy listen with the right combination of vocal attack and instrumental workouts. The final track is a instrumental piece titled "Meteors (Extinction)" and it is a fitting ending to the EP which plays out more like a full-length album with its 31 minute running time. Its hard to put a tag on a band like this with so many varied musical styles all interwoven into the one band, they cross prog-metal and sludgy doom but do it with the intensity of a balls and all metal band complete with roaring metal vocals. They have some killer riffs but with some real surprises in the arrangement department. A very interesting band that should have a big future in front of them, check them out. 9/10

BotT @Myspace