Speedslut- Cimbrian Rites

 "If you are a false, don't entry."
- Wagnar Antichrist, Sarcofago.

I've been thinking a lot about this lyric lately. You can thank my recent diet of war metal for that, I suppose.  Probably thanks to the new Nuclearhammer ep. This is not a review for that record but that will be coming soon. 

I think gatekeeping is largely good. There are certainly bad forms of gatekeeping(I.e. gatekeeping based on race, gender and such) but if you gatekeep based on categories surrounding how the thing is built, I think you're in the right ballpark. 

Most young speed metal bands also come to mind when thinking about this. They largely seem to be 80's LARPers. They construct an image and style about what they THINK is the 80's not what it actually was. They wear skin tight pants with Japanese and British flags designs and wear those wrap around Oakley sunglasses. They also desperately try to produce records that sound like they have the production of classics from 1986. However, this comes across as aesthetic and it feels like they aren't being true to themselves.

Speedslut are different. In band pictures, you get four normal looking dudes in leather jackets, bullet belts and jeans. No ironic mustaches or weird surferglam metal fashions. Just four guys who play metal. So, what does their metal sound like? Let's find out.

What you get here is lightly blackened speed/thrash metal owing as much to Motorhead and Venom as to Sodom and Destruction, all of which you can hear in this well constructed record. The songs are fast and unrelenting, built around great speedy guitar riffs, great solos, thunderous bass and hard hitting drums. All of the songs are incredibly well constructed, showing  a reverence for the 80's speed metal masters but not afraid to throw in their own little song writing twists and turns here and there. I'm thinking of the rock n roll riff of "Dark Knight Riders" or the bass thunder of "Into the Grave". 

It's clear these dudes worked on their song writing chops for this record as each song has its own vibe but is identifiable not only firmly in the speed/ thrash metal genre but also identifiable as Speedslut itself. Each song is fast, heavy and inspires much headbanging and fist banging. The production is rough and clear but never sounds like they were intentionally trying to make it sound like it came from a specific  time period. They just wanted a rough and tumble sound and they achieved it. 

Obviously a young band all readers should check out and, if I ever get to seem them, I will tell them that myself. Highlights: Dark Knight Riders, Into the Grave, Whores of Speed but through and through a record worth checking out and one I've listened to a bunch since encountering it. Look forward to more reviews, headbangers. Bang your heads!


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