I’ve always had a soft spot for Westerns of the violent or Spaghetti type as well as pretty much anything super crazy and out there that Tarantino has done. And, I love me some abrasive deaththrash. So imagine my elation upon finding SpiritWorld who puts these things together as effortlessly as breathing. It’s like true maple syrup finding pancakes or a sandwich finding Duke’s mayonnaise: it fits like a glove and is pure, unadulterated joy. The band’s third full length Helldorado finds them supremely comfortable with their brand but comfortable enough in their own skin to try new things and shed their bulletproof exterior.
When I was a kid, there was an amusement park we frequented that was themed around the Old and Wild West, heavy on the ‘Wild’ part. There was a daily “shootout” where the actors would duel in and around the streets of the town and fall from buildings after being “shot.” There were saloons, shows, rides galore including a roller coaster that hung you off the side of a mountain, and visitors accessed the elevated park by rickety chairlift or a bus that careened up and down a curvy mountain road. All that was an adrenaline rush, not to mention fun as hell, to little ol’ me and quickly became one of my favorite places to visit due to the wonder and brash, sometimes outlandish, excitement it held for me. That place is long gone now but the memories remain. All these years later Pagan Rhythms and Deathwestern, SpiritWorld’s debut and sophomore effort respectively, deeply taps into those fond memories with their reckless abandon, adrenaline soaked, hair on fire, pistols blazin’, take no prisoners alive deaththrash.
Pagan Rhythms established SpiritWorld as a whirlwind of Slayeresque riffs with a touch of punk here, slight hardcore lean there, and a heavy trigger finger against a revolver cylinder full of thrash metal. They were a lean mean killing machine and even had a clear vision of who they were and the whats and whys were also clearly established, which is an astounding feat that early on. Then came Deathwestern which was a better rounded stable of songs that again were lean, mean, and got right to the point BUT each track was served with a nastier, more savage edge. And then there’s that majestic album cover that 100% represents in every way imaginable. Both of these albums are as raucous as the money shot moments in From Dusk Till Dawn and as intense as any Clint Eastwood / Lee Van Cleef showdown.
Helldorado gets the train rollin’ with some high stepping groove on “Abilene Grime” which features mainman Stu Folsom’s signature gruff vocals front and center. After the duo of “No Vacancy In Heaven” and “Western Stars & The Apocalypse” it’s clear this most definitely is the SpiritWorld we know and love but with a slight lean towards catchy melodies over balls out speed. “Waiting On The Reaper” stokes the thrash fires a bit more and “Stigmata Scars” turns up the aggression several notches. So again, this is penultimate SpiritWorld just a little more robust and catchy. There’s pissed off energy aplenty to keep the old fans happy and enough of a new stance to grow a fan base so it’s a win, win.
I particularly love the fun-loving honky tonk barroom brawl feel of “Bird Song Of Death” with fists connecting to jaws while patrons are being tossed from windows with drinks exploding all over the place and chairs breaking under the weight of each cowboy hat wearing dude. Stu and Co really step outside the box on “Prayer Lips” though. This is more middle of the night, by the fire, under the sea of stars, crooning with acoustic guitar energy than we’ve ever heard from this bunch. It’s quiet and reflective, slow and stirring, and it just works. Tremendously so, even. Closer “Annihilism” is a slower twist as well but is more punk than anything and again, it works like gangbusters. These tracks sidle right in between the dirt, mud, blood, and fire like Mrs Kitty handled her saloon; with authority and finesse. The chances taken here will open doors for the band that otherwise would’ve stayed rusty on their hinges and will show the bunch to be more than one-trick ponies. As for me, I’m ok with this kind of one-trick pony though but have thoroughly enjoyed hearing them take chances, especially with just how good it gels with the rest of the album, vibe, and overall band identity.
Helldorado is another excellent album from SpiritWorld that I hope will get them in front of the masses. The fact that I can listen to this album, and the others for that matter, and relive extremely fond memories; the smells, the feel, the sounds, and the energy of those days gone by, as well as temporarily place me in the Wild and Wooly West, is a treasure and a gift. But more than a gift, SpiritWorld are perfect for what they’re doing and have carved out a niche for themselves that won’t ever be touched as well as they’ve touched it. Where the dusty trail takes them next, who knows? With Helldorado in hand, who cares for now. Just crank it and shoot straight.
— Josh
Helldorado will be available March 14 on Century Media Records. For more information on SpiritWorld, visit their official website and social media pages.