Album Review: Shatter Brain - Pitchfork Justice
Reviewed by Jon Wigg
Sludge/Thrash/Death metal mixed with Hardcore is on the menu today, and what a brutally fine meal it is too. Adelaide’s Shatter Brain hit hard and never give up with a heavy as fuck debut album that seamlessly moves from genre to genre within tracks to great effect.
Vocalist Tom Santamaria switches from clean to death grunt to hardcore screams with ease, for example in second track ‘Lorem Ipsum’ where this occurs in the same verse. The rhythm section of Ryan Quarrington on drums and Pat Callaghan on bass really drive things forward and add some groove reminiscent of Pantera to proceedings. Twin guitar attack of Jack Hartley and Matt Disisto provide brutal riffing and great harmonies, which keep every track melodic, even in their most savage moments. Fine performances by all.
Opener ‘Talk In Fear’ starts with a haunting twin guitar intro before an almost Amon Amarth stomp kicks in. Thrash kicks in for the solo section in the middle before a sludge-filled closing which ramps up the heavy. Aforementioned ‘Lorem Ipsum’ is probably the most traditional thrash song here, bouncing along with great vigour. Title track ‘Pitchfork Justice’ and ‘Choosing Beggars’ slow things down again with the first adding a great hardcore middle and second some great groove. ‘Fencesitter’ does nothing of the sort and ups the pace alternating between death/thrash and hardcore. 'Noble Savagery' ramps up the death metal both in riffs and vocals before ‘Silent Screams’ reduces the tempo and switches between clean and hardcore vocals effortlessly. ‘Life Ephemeral’ provides a minute long clean instrumental before brutal hardcore finisher ‘Death Goes On’ closes proceeding in fine style.
Shatter Brain really do mix the genres really well throughout and nothing seems forced. All of the tracks really open themselves to live airings and hopefully they will make their way to the UK/Europe in the not too distant future. It was the melodies really stood out for me. Often an album of this style of music can grow tiring after a few tracks and can only be taken in small doses. The harmonising and clever use of the twin guitar attack, really kept this fresh throughout and different enough to make me put the album on repeat.
A great debut from this Australian outfit and I look forward to hearing a lot more from them.
'Pitchfork Justice' is released on May 1st via Wormholedeath/Aural Music
