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Anti-Mortem: New Southern

Modern Heavy Metal

3.5/5.0

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Nuclear Blast Records
Words by Craig Hartranft,  24.04.2014

Rumbling out of the plains of Oklahoma like a F5 tornado is Anti-Mortem with their debut album New Southern, crushing everything in their path. These youngsters, being rooted in heavy rock and metal from the Seventies through the Nineties, believe that the riff is king and, therefore, should be monstrous and heavy.

Anti-Mortem: pro big hair and beards.

So much is the riff king that the basic characteristic of their music is a pummeling freight train of riffage. It has one purpose: melting brain matter. But seriously, this is one heavy album. Despite notions from the band that they want to bring rock back, or put some balls into modern hard rock, groove and melody, while there, get pushed to the back seat where the bottom heavy rhythm section clubs them to death with spiked baseball bats. At times, Anti-Mortem reminds me of Pantera jacked up on a double dose of Jager and Red Bull.

Being from the plain states, the boys of Anti-Mortem were also raised on southern rock, ergo, the name of the album. You will catch some of the feeling, though often muted, in several songs like Truck Stop Special, Stagnant Water, or New Southern, but more so at the beginning of Jonesboro. To their credit, also, Anti-Mortem doesn't allow the crushing harshness of their modern metal to totally win the day. Beyond the crush of chords, there's some solid lead guitar work infesting these songs. And they actually tone things down for one song, Black Heartbeat, also with a slight southern flair. (Actually, it sounds like a vicious version of Nickelback. But Anti-Mortem would probably beat the shit out of Chad Kroeger and company if the ever showed up in Chickasha.) Mostly, New Southern is a riff heavy thundering monstrosity, yet spiked with good guitar solos and, therefore, perfect for today's modern metal fans.

ANTI-MORTEM - 100% Pure American Rage (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Anti-Mortem's New Southern is a riff heavy thundering monstrosity and, therefore, perfect for today's modern metal fans.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]