ALBUM REVIEW: IV – Beastwars

For those of a certain age and cultural leaning, the word BEASTWARS will conjure up one image alone; that of a mid-to-late 90’s CGI TV series where robots turned into animals and kicked the living shit out of each other. New Zealand’s premium sludge export of the same name aren’t so much about that as they are conjuring massive, dense riffs that kick the living shit out of the listener rather than any robots that may or may not be in disguise.

Aptly titled fourth full length IV is a record born of twin adversity; long-time fans will be familiar with the bands’ mythic original intention to only write four albums before calling it quits, and will also be familiar with vocalist Matthew Hyde’s fight against cancer, with the band recording the record one week after he completed chemotherapy. As the band themselves put it; “Although Matt was responding well to treatment, [we] felt an urgent need to capture new songs as a thank you to all the fans that supported him and as a way of reconnecting with each other after our tumultuous breakup. Matt’s illness put the band and what we meant to each other in perspective.”

The result is eight slabs of vital, snarling riffing and a vocal performance for the ages. From the quivering feedback and mid-paced, stoner tinged roll of opener Raise The Sword, BEASTWARS are in commanding form, Hyde’s glass throated howl riding over heaving, filthy bass and buzzing, expanding riffs. Wolves And Prey clatters in with driving drums limbering into a swinging riff and huge growls, whining guitars breaking into mean and triumphant chugs. Storms Of Mars pulses with steady rhythm, guitars opening it out into bombastic drama over plodding toms as Hyde heartfelt and openly demands “Let me live, give me ten more years, to see my child grow,” before turning left into some surprisingly BOWIE-esque vulnerable cleans.

This Mortal Decay strides with sludgy riffing and climbing guitars, deliberately paced and dripping with trembling strings but perhaps not as fully fleshed as the other offerings here. Omens grinds with a huge, dour riff before breaking into dreamy guitar layers and a big rhythm section drive. Throat ruining screeches counter twinkling guitars, layers separating out into melodic motes and shifting dynamics. Sound Of The Grave hisses with rising noise and backmasked vocals, unsettling before being spirited away on crashing cymbals. The Traveller is bluesy and mournful, distant, lonely guitars wandering before opening into a soft roller that gradually starts to soar, contracting and expanding over frustrated vocal grunts.

Closer Like Dried Blood rises with the sound of a storm and gentle piano melody, slowly waltzing over a bass and drum undertow, clean vocals hardening as the guitars come in with a mid-placed and glowering sludge riff. Uniting for a rousing finale, it ends abruptly, a cliff-hanger to leave the listener reeling. Although the Kiwi crushers ain’t reinventing no wheels, they’ve continued to hone their bludgeoning signature sound and put together a solid, memorable record with a singular, cathartic conviction. That said, a few more references to energon cubes wouldn’t have gone amiss…

Rating: 7/10

IV is set for release June 28th via Destroy Records.

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