Album Review: SpiritWorld - Helldorado
Reviewed by Tim Finch
Just five short years ago a new entity burst onto the metal scene delivering a unique blend of hardcore and thrash with a Western theming. That band is SpiritWorld and their debut full length ‘Pagan Rhythms’ was a breath of fresh air in an often-stagnant scene. The entity made more unique by founder, vocalist, mastermind Stu Folsom who is also an author and whose stories play out across SpiritWorlds music.
The bands third album ‘Helldorado’ lands via Century Media this week and opens far away from what we have come to expect. ‘Abilene Grime’ is a country rock number, or at least starts that way, as the first minute and forty four seconds roll on you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve picked up the wrong record. But then that unique guitar sound kicks in, the vocals get angry and that familiar SpiritWorld darkness descends.
The band have never hidden the influence of acts like Slayer, the riffs have a Kerry/Jeff style to them, but Folsom has done something to magnify the sound. This is not a Slayer clone but a mere launching pad for their sound to grow organically. The guitar tone has an edge to it, it’s razor sharp, blisteringly fast and keeps the listener on edge for fear they may strike and kill at any moment.
‘No Vacancy In Heaven’ and ‘Western Stars & The Apocalypse’ continue the ferocious onslaught we are now accustomed to, but ‘Bird Song of Death’ flips things on its head again with a totally country rock tune lying between tracks of brutality complete with clap along chorus and all.
The whole album sees SpiritWorld step up their game. Folsom’s imagination and storytelling bringing the album to life, whilst musically they are willing to push those boundaries a few steps further, mixing in country with thrash and hardcore to exquisite perfection.
Yet again SpiritWorld have show why they are so critically acclaimed, now it’s time for the wider metal fan base to open up and accept just how good they are.
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