Never to Play the Servant

Formed by former Nevermore/Annihilator touring guitarist Curran Murphy, Shatter Messiah’s 2006 debut shows off considerable influence from his past employers. Never to Play the Servant plays out a similar hodgepodge of power-thrash, mixing tight double bass drumming, chunky guitars, frequent dynamic shifts, melodic hooks, and some modern tinges all under a polished production job. Lead vocalist Greg Wagner even sounds like a composite of Joe Comeau’s snarl with Warrel Dane’s theatrics with some extra rasps for flavor.

That setup makes Shatter Messiah sound like another mid-2000s Nevermore clone, but they find their own ways to stand out. Most notably, the group’s first two albums are firmly committed to their anti-religious lyrical themes. But rather than giving into the temptation of going full Satanism, the themes revolve more around the flaws of organized institutions and the effects of individuals caught within them. It may still not be the most original take out there, but the personal angle makes for a more compelling listen.

It also helps that the band managed to write some damn good songs as much variety as one could hope for with fourteen tracks. Songs like the opening title track, “Frailty of the Righteous One,” and “All Sainted Sinners” are driven by crushing mid-tempo verses and soaring choruses. Other tracks like “Hatred Divine,” “Bad Blood,” and “Blasphemy Feeder” play more to their thrash tendencies with faster gallops that still manage to show off some tight hooks. “Deny God” and “New Kleen Killing Machine” also stand out as the album’s most climactic numbers, the former serving as a punchy ballad before its speedy climax and the latter closing things out with an especially imposing mid-tempo structure.

Considering how this album is self-described as two EPs mushed together, the worst I can say about it is acknowledging that a couple songs could’ve been cut. The shorter numbers like “Fear to Succeed” and “Inflicted” have always felt a little out of place to me, perhaps bordering on hardcore for my taste. A couple tracks toward the end also lessen the momentum, though they’re less memorable rather than outright superfluous.

If Shatter Messiah is indeed a Nevermore clone, then Never to Play the Servant sees them as among the best of the bunch. Murphy’s pedigree certainly helps, and the anti-religious theming would certainly make it a fitting counterpart to something like This Godless Endeavor, but the balance of songwriting and musicianship helps the songs keep their catchiness without falling too deep into technical harshness. Subsequent albums wouldn’t quite have the same impact, but this one comes strongly recommended to those who like their metal with an intricate mix of melody and brutality.