ALBUM REVIEW: Dakota Blood Stampede – Shotgun Facelift

The ghosts of the past are ever present in Dakota Blood Stampede, the newly released second full-length from North Dakota groove metal quintet SHOTGUN FACELIFT. In fact, they seem to haunt most every song. Fingers will most certainly be reaching to dig wax out of ears throughout the 10 song tracklist as these shadows of the past are audibly heard. Did Randy Blythe start a side project? Is that first track a groove metal remix of METALLICA‘s Blackened? Is this what LAMB OF GOD would sound like with metalcore riffs? Questions fly as thick and fast as the styles being blended on this record. There’s no denying that this band has passion and talent, but while Dakota Blood Stampede is certainly a bit of groovy southern-fried fun and is driven by the same rage and riffage as the greats, it’s very difficult to separate what the band is doing in the here and now with what has already come before across multiple eras of metal. It’s this sense of deja entendu that serves as the record’s biggest detriment.

Right off the hop is Blackened. Actually, it’s a track called I Am, but from the first five seconds any listener would be forgiven for thinking that they’ve heard this riff before. Though its structure is slightly different and the song progresses totally differently with a full on groove metal attack, it’s a sticking point that just makes it hard to think about much else during the runtime. What also sticks is vocalist John Huber, who’s intonation and style is a spitting image of Randy Blythe, all the way down to the way he rolls in and out of certain vowel sounds and phrases with his gutturals. He’s got the chops, and he puts them to fun usage as his cadence in this track feels a bit like Corey Taylor chopping up a SLIPKNOT cut back in the early 2000s. It’s a whole mishmash of things we’ve heard that unfortunately covers up the talent at play.

It’s unfortunate that Huber cannot help the sound of his voice, because the LAMB OF GOD comparisons are inescapable. However, the band definitely makes use of the game of mix and match metal genres to keep things a bit fresh and interesting. Some tracks, like Famine and Open Place To Bleed take Huber‘s Blythe-esque groove metal vocal style and transpose it over early 00s metalcore riffs, which certainly opens up a whole multiverse what ifs, but for the pioneer bands that have come before in both of those genres. Pull The Trigger is another track that will pull a listener back in time just through the opening riff, and make no mistake, the riffing of guitarists Damian Goulet and Matt Person is solid. They bring a swampy, bluesy, and more simplistic approach to the guitar work that feels refreshing. The title track is a perfect example of this, with its warbling bass intro that sounds like they submerged the bass in a dunk tank full of blood to elicit a most disconcerting and dread inducing effect. The track in general is a standout because of its thrashy pace mixed with its bluesy tone, and hearing the live recording of the band excitedly cheering after nailing a live take will surely elicit a smile.

The admirable thing about this record is that it was recorded live in a room with the whole band playing together as a unit. Any screw ups would ruin the take and the band would start again. It’s old school, but the passion is certainly palpable in the playing. The production however lacks a bit of the punch the band are looking to deliver. The whole mix feels a bit muted, especially in the drums, where the snare could definitely use a bit more crack and a bit less plunk. A snappier, crispier, meatier production would have certainly boosted the record. But what it couldn’t have saved is that feeling of sameness, of been there, heard that. And though this happens all the time, especially in the metalcore world with so many bands pulling from groups like ARCHITECTS, it’s even more on the nose with SHOTGUN FACELIFT and their admiration for LAMB OF GOD.

Most of the other tracks on the record on the whole feature very solid musicianship and monster vocal performances from Huber, but it just feels like we could be listening to any LAMB OF GOD record for what SHOTGUN FACELIFT are offering, but done with more precision and heft, and with better production at the helm. The one track that does stand out among the rest is Bury Me, with that extra southern edge to the guitar work and an incredibly strong groove that leads to one hell of a headbanging riff. The guitar harmonics at the tail end of the track, combined with the brief use of stuttering electronic mods on the vocals, create a unique track that truly feels like the voice the band is looking for.

It’s a real shame when a band that has the talent behind it struggles to find its unique voice, but the potential is there for SHOTGUN FACELIFT. First off, it’s an excellent band name. Second, there are moments on Dakota Blood Stampede that move past the past (no pun intended) and signify this band’s strengths that set them apart from their predecessors. It’s a new age with a myriad of new techniques to explore, and the edges of the paper on this record are beginning to bleed with new possibilities. If the band can break free of the shadows of the giants they stand upon and take some new chances, they just might start to grow a bit taller themselves.

Rating: 6/10

Dakota Blood Stampede is out now via Eclipse Records.

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