Death Threat at the Bull and Gate

Death Threat at the Bull and Gate

30 March, 2009
by: Evolmike

As I'm thinking of nice things to say about Death Threat whilst they rip up the Bull and Gate tonight, I can't help but notice their influences spreading across the past three decades of metal like a tarpaulin, sweeping up a torrent of thrash, hardcore and speed metal. Then I remember almost all metal bands do that. Metal is usually about assembling pieces of history rather than making new ones.

There's not a great deal of innovation going on these days in anything you would call popular metal, and Death Threat are by no means original. They are, however, a bloody good band. Solid drums and fast-paced compositions, tight changes, the warm meaty blanket of stereo guitars, everything that gets the head involuntarily banging and the body eventually writhing.

In a world where rock music has turned into a soundtrack to killing yourself, here is a band that gives you that good old-fashioned soundtrack to killing other people. Singer David has a brutal, engaging roar, like a belt sander in a smelter, bubbling as it disintegrates. Angry, visceral lyrics growled at a consistent register, there's almost something reptilian about it: seething and barking at the same time. They make me want to plough down the street in a monster truck doing drive-by battle axe attacks on unsuspecting heathens. In a good way.

A band like Death Threat reminds you of what you love about metal and why some people just  don't get it - they're pretty relentless with the pounding and the screaming and the hurting of the ears and the rumbling of the floor and what not, and you're unlikely to notice the (very) subtle differences between the songs. Having said that, if you are into metal, this is nothing you haven't heard before. A recurring formula of widdly bit/thrashy bit/slightly slower chorus/repeat, that is nevertheless entertaining.

OK, they're probably not going to set the world on fire but they will do a good job of burning any venue down. Ideal for those of us somewhere in between the status of metal snob and total noob. In fact, comes highly recommended for newcomers (after consulting your physician).

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Evolmike