APF Records releases Death Rattle, by Desert Storm, a four-piece Progressive Metal/Stoner Doom band from Oxford. The quartet comprises Matthew Ryan on vocals, Ryan Cole on guitars, Elliot Cole on drums and percussion, and Matthew Dennett on bass. Previous albums since their debut Forked Tongues in 2010 include Horizontal Life, Omniscient, Sentinels and Omens. Desert Storm has toured extensively, sharing the stage with bands such as Karma to Burn, Orange Goblin, Weedeater, Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity, and others. The current album was recorded & mixed at Wormwood Studies in Oxfordshire (formally owned by Fairport Convention) by Steve ‘Geezer’ Watkins. It was mastered in Portland, Oregon...

Track Listing: 'Master of None'; 'Cheyne Stoking'; 'Bad Trip'; 'Melatone'; 'Salt of the Earth'; 'Druids Heath'; 'Insomniac'; 'Self Deprecation'; and 'Salt of the Earth'.

Energy and melody are my two main requirements for Rock and Metal. Desert Storm straddle the two music genres of Metal and Hard Rock. The thick and wide-scoping wrap-around sound hooks the listener straight into the driving melody of the piece. Guitar riffs on the offbeat are accompanied by a thick backdrop of supporting sound. The vocals seem laidback in comparison but fit the whole perfectly. The whole works like a well-oiled machine, making its statement with precision and determination. 'Master of None' is the perfect opener, while the follow-up shows they can work a lighter side – for long moments carried by the solid drums. The chorus stamps its feet to make an impression, a heavy backing to the slightly softer singing. And then, as if to prove his versatility, he throws some growled vocals into the mix. Guitar melody is not far behind, giving the song a structure and metamorphosis.

'Bad Trip' is more melancholic – at least for the first third of the track – before a more expected hard and moderate pace takes control. The driving force of the band carries you along, allowing more space for experimentation. 'Melatone' has sequences heard before on this album but incorporates a more atmospheric overall feel. It has a middle sequence which is somewhat Pink Floyd influenced. I love the growled and reverbed vocals. Very Nice. 'Salt of the Earth' uses acoustic or electric acoustic guitar for its softer moments and lets rip for the chorus. There is a mystical element to 'Druids Heath', and the heavier moments have connections to Amon Amarth. The fast and furious, take no prisoners opening of 'Insomniac' is excellent but there are too many changes in this one which take it down a Proggy road. The slow but heavy riff-driven 'Self Deprecation' comes from the school of Black Sabbath, but the band does mix it up a bit with lighter interludes. 'New Dawn' is an interesting instrumental to finish with.

Although the earlier songs on this collection have much more of an impact, I’m pleasantly surprised at just how good and different this album is. I haven’t experienced Desert Storm before this, so I’m curious as to how they will follow this up. Give it a try, you won’t be sorry.

8

Ty Power