As someone who tends to be rather OCD about music, it almost makes me cringe to admit the following: prior to experiencing Pillars of Ash, I’d never listened to Black Tusk. Now don’t get me wrong… I’d definitely heard of them before. I’m a big fan of Baroness and Kylesa and, thanks to the strength of the Savannah metal scene, it’s almost impossible to not hear them and Black Tusk all mentioned within the same breath. I don’t know if it feels that way within their collective hometown, but from the outside looking in, it’s almost like these three form some sort of unholy trinity of heavy music for that area.

And thus I’m kicking myself for never checking these guys out. Make no mistake: their particular brand of metal, with some punk aesthetics and flourishes worked in, is absolutely killer.

I mention all of that to simply acknowledge this: while I’ve become a fan of Black Tusk through Pillars of Ash, there is likely a weight and emotional heaviness to this album that longtime fans will associate with it that I just don’t have. For those who don’t know, this is their first record since the death of their bassist/vocalist and founding member, Jonathan Athon. This is the last Black Tusk material that he recorded before he passed away in the winter of 2014, after sustaining very serious injuries in a motorcycle accident. I want to be very careful here to not be disingenuous: I didn’t know Athon, but from everything I’ve seen/read about him in prepping for this review, he was an incredible individual. Longtime band crew member and friend Kim Kelly wrote a beautiful reflection on his passing, so please, check that out to get a sense of the huge hole his death left.

So with all that said, Pillars of Ash. The last recordings of Athon, but also, hopefully signs of new life within Black Tusk. From start to finish, this album is a ripper. They hit the pavement with “God’s On Vacation” and don’t let off the pedal until the last minute of closer, “Leveling.” As an aside, that piano outro on “Leveling”? Killer. I don’t expect that they’ll ever go prog metal, but it’s a really nice touch to include it as the record plays out. While they’re a guitar/bass/drum band to the core, it would be cool see keys (or possibly other instruments) in the mix in the future, as they clearly have the chops for it.

At any rate, this is a no-frills, riff-packed ride. Think Motörhead with Cronos handling vocals and you’ll be in the right ball park. 2016 is still pretty young, but so far, this is my favorite new album of the year. If, like me, you’re unfamiliar with the awesome that is Black Tusk, do what I plan to do: get on board with Pillars of Ash and then work your way backwards. With five albums and three EPs, they’ve got a lot of metal goodness to offer. And if you’ve been with them all along, put this on and raise a beer in memory of Athon and celebrate more stories of his greatness.

– Jeremy Hunt

Pillars of Ash will be out January 29th on Relapse Records. For more information on Black Tusk, visit their official website.