The Last Refuge of the Sons of Bitches

"UHHAAAARRHHHH!!!"

The first "words" you hear on this album. This blend of Southern Rock and Sludge Metal truly is awesome. The first track, the title track, starts off with a nice catchy riff and a very unexpected growl followed by clean vox and more growling. A very nice blend of two different vocal styles from one amazing vocalist.

From start to finish, this album is short but very impressive. The musical direction of this band has changed a lot since "Southern Apocalypse". They went from straight up Sludge Metal to Grassroots Piss-Metal (which I call Southern Metal). No, this isnt a Down clone. This sounds nothing like Down. I've never heard another band with this sound, and it makes me wish I was in there with them jamming.

The guitars are amazing, sometimes slow and sludged, best example on this album is "Double Barrel Blasphemy" and sometimes fast like on "Wheels Comin' Off" or "Paleface". A thing new to this band is the incorporation of 12 string acoustics. The 12 string acoustics add to the beauty of this fucken album, and can best be heard on "Paleface".

Speaking of "Paleface", which is my favorite track on this album, wait till you fucken hear it. It starts off with the acoustic guitar, sounding like its a country song with the southern clean vox of Ben Hogg and kicks into a fast as fuck metal song complete with growls and what not. Excellent track.

The vocals are amazing as well. You've got Death Metal growls, and on occasion Black Metal Screeching mixed in well with good ol' fashion singing. All done by one excellent motherfucker. The best track on this album vocal-wise has to be "Double Barrel Blasphemy" it has all of the above.

Overall, I'd give this album 8/10. It's worth picking up if you ever see it. I cannot wait for their next release in 04. If only these fuckers would leave the South and do some shows elsewhere.



==Originaly on Morbid Metal (I co-own and write)==