ALBUM REVIEW: Blood Of The Old Gods – Restless Spirit
RESTLESS SPIRIT return with their sophomore album Blood Of The Old Gods, the follow up to their 2019 debut Lord Of The New Depression. Posed as a concept album about going against societal status quos, the New York trio have produced an album that may be in contention for one of the strongest stoner rock records of the year.
The album opens with a delicate, stirring instrumental passage in The Betrayer which lulls the listener into a false sense of knowing what to expect: instead, as the classical guitar subsides, the album launches headlong into the riff-laden Judgement And Exile. As immediate and infectious as it is proficient and pacey, the song feels far shorter than its eight-and-a-half minute runtime. There is fantastic progression seen throughout the track, and if we break it down to its core components, namely riff after riff after riff, it never feels cobbled together. The transitions are natural and seamless, and as the song reaches a climactic, chanted singalong of its title it’s clear that RESTLESS SPIRIT could very feasibly wind up on some of the bigger stages the metal sphere has to offer.
Claiming a heady mix of influences that includes BLACK SABBATH, TYPE O NEGATIVE and THE SWORD, it goes without saying that RESTLESS SPIRIT will be packing a few riffs, and sure enough, the riffs throughout Blood Of The Old Gods are plentiful and persistent, but above all, they’re perfect. Never re-treading the same ground, guitarist and vocalist Paul Aloisio keeps proceedings new and exciting but without changing the style of the songs. It’s a masterclass in getting heads banging without sacrificing the quality of the songs themselves.
As an album, Blood Of The Old Gods visits numerous realms. Whether it’s the expansive and brooding on The Haunted and Blood Of The Old Gods, or the crushingly heavy seen on Cascade Immolator and Crooked Timber Of Humanity, here we have an album that really shows off the best of RESTLESS SPIRIT. Throughout the album, their song-writing prowess is on full display. The craft of the album is exemplary too, moving from idea to idea at a fair clip without ever feeling rushed or forced, and the delivery of every component is engrossing and impressive. Aloisio’s vocals encapsulate the powerful clean delivery of TRUCKFIGHTERS with the growled, menacing stylings of MELVINS; Jon Gusman’s drumming is understatedly exceptional, and Marc Morello’s bass keeps proceedings thundering forward.
If there is one complaint to be made, it is a minor one, but it has to do with some of the lyricism itself. There are brief flashes of immaturity in the song-writing: take Judgement And Exile for example, where it feels as if the band resorts to swearing for no other reason than to fill syllables. Far be it from this writer to say bands should not swear, but it’s a moment that sticks out like a sore thumb on an otherwise competent and impressive record.
Overall, this is a fantastic record to be sure, filled with songs that are as catchy and memorable as some of the genre’s classics. The future is looking very bright for RESTLESS SPIRIT – jump onboard before it’s too late.
Rating: 9/10
Blood Of The Old Gods is out now via Lifesblood Records.
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