This is the best metal album I’ve heard in years. Stuff your Mastodonsand your Opeths, Lair of the Minotaur stomp all over them. This is amajor change of opinion for me: I used to think they were no greatshakes but with their new album they have completely won me over.Heavily influenced by every great metal band, they have made a stomperof an album that is relentless.The Ultimate Destroyer starts off with a track with the veryapt title of “Juggernaut of Metal,” the band charge through it like abull in a china shop. Vocalist and guitarist Steven Rathbone soundsimmense as he screams about bashing brains, eating entrails and generalmayhem. The song finishes with him growling the lyrics like a beast.His guitar work keeps up with his vocals; the riffs are thick and full.Barrara’s bass is a wall of sludge, I can never pick it out but I canfeel it. The strings are more than adequately backed by Herweg’sdrumming. His pounding to “Grisly Hound of the Pit” is incredible.
One track that I really have to comment on is “Cannibal Massacre.” This was released in an extended mix as a singlea few months ago and I really couldn’t abide it. It was far too long.Thankfully on the album it has been chopped down to nearly half itslength and it works all the better for it. None of the tracks go on toolong; the album is short by today’s standards at minutes compared tothe compulsion of most bands to use up all the 80 minutes of space on aCD. The relative brevity of The Ultimate Destroyer adds to its appeal. It’s like a quick, hard punch to the nose.
Lair of the Minotaur pay homage to several of metal’s greats: thereare elements of Slayer in “Behead the Gorgon;” Sabbath’s influence iseverywhere; and Chuck Schuldiner’s Death are also lurking between theriffs. There is also a more modern bass-heavy production (they are onSouthern Lord for a reason) about them that keeps the musiccontemporary. Granted it’s no giant leap for metal but when Lair of theMinotaur leap, they land heavy. This is proven by the album’s closer“The Hydra Coils upon this Wicked Mountain” which crawls along at aMelvin’s pace. It’s a terrific end to a terrific album.
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