Saturday 26 May 2018

DOPETHRONE - Transcanadian Anger (Album Review)


Release date: May 25th 2018. Label: Totem Cat Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Transcanadian Anger – Tracklisting

1.PLANET METH 03:44
2.WRONG SABBATH 04:30
3.KILLDOZER 04:39
4.SCUZZGASM 05:20
5.TWEAK JABBER 03:44
6.SNORT DAGGER 04:25
7.KINGBILLY KUSH 03:14
8.MISERABILIST (Feat Julie)

Members

Vince - guitars & vocals
Vyk - Bass
Shawn - Drums
Julie - Vocals on "Miserabilis

Review

Transcanadian Anger is the new album from Canada's premiere Sludge/Doom/Filth Merchants - Dopethrone. The album is perhaps their heaviest and angriest offering yet with the band writing blistering political based lyrics and harsh Doom/Sludge Metal sounds. The band is five albums into their epic career and they show no signs of stopping their aggressive behaviour.

Opening track - Planet Meth - opens in trademark Dopethrone fashion with brutal sounding Doom/Sludge Metal grooves and the harsh growls from lead vocalist Vince. The heavy bass line is instantly recognisable as Dopethrone build up a thunderous sounding rhythm for a cool progressive feel. The lyrics are quite harsh. Even for Dopethrone. It seems the band have been heavily influenced by current problems within the world. As Transcanadian Anger doesn't shy away from creating gloomy atmospheric vibes. The band manages to include their deadly sense of wicked fun that's been a major staple of their previous albums.

Second track - Wrong Sabbath - is less volatile than the opening song but still manages to incorporate a lot of harsh sounding vocals, riffs and lyrics.

Third track - Killdozer - is classic sounding Dopethrone with fast-paced Doom/Sludge sounds but with more hard-hitting aggression. The song is perhaps the most hard-rocking listed on the album. As this song has quite an addictive groove.

The next two tracks – Scuzzgasm and Tweak Jabber - may have very tongue-in-cheek titles but they perhaps offer some of the albums heaviest moments with the band putting in a commanding performance. The whole tone of the album doesn't really change much but that's a good thing as Dopethrone are known for creating a certain type of sound. It's a sound they brilliantly excel at.

There are a few psychedelic and progressive sounds heard on the album that I really enjoyed. As it shows the band have matured into one of the most dependable and recognisable bands within the world of Doom/Sludge Metal.

The production is perhaps what makes this album. As the album sounds so brutally heavy from the start. You can feel the full force of Dopethrone coming at you from all angles and it's impossible to ignore. Especially on the epic last song - Miserabilist. A slightly depressing number with a few weedian influences hidden amongst the dark brooding sludge based grooves.

The line-up may have changed recently. However that hasn't stopped Dopethrone for constantly releasing great albums and Transcanadian Anger maybe their best album to date.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Transcanadian Anger is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl from Totem Cat Records.

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