Not to contradict myself but the sophomore release from Dublin Death Patrol is the album I wanted when I picked up the latest Testament record, Dark Roots Of Earth. While DROE is a great thrash record, I definitely wanted something more in tone with The Formation Of Damnation or The Gathering. If I wanted something more like The New Order, I’d just go dig in my vaults. Nostalgia is not the case when it comes to DDP. Chuck Billy sounds downright vicious while Steve Souza’s maniacal voice is the perfect contrast. Then there’s the other NINE OTHER MEMBERS of DDP…yeah, they’re a pretty big deal.
On their sophomore album Death Sentence, Dublin Death Patrol up the ante, up the crazy, up the everything on ten tracks of pure unadulterated metal. The album is just sick through and through. It’s hard to focus on one aspect when everything contained within is so massive. The frontmen are the obvious focal point as Souza’s nasally wail contrasts with Billy’s heavy growl. Maybe the shared vocal approach is the reason Billy just sounds at home on this record and gives a performance more in line with The Gathering and the low end mayhem his voice wrought on that one.
Beginning with the epic yet lo-fi “Mind Sewn Shut”, it’s obvious that chaos is coming and carnage will be left in DDP’s musical wake. “Dehumanize” opens with a killer Billy solo delivery and gets better as the song plays out. “Blood Sirens” is fast. Really fast. “Broken” is an anthemic headbanger through and through while elsewhere songs like “Death Toll Rising” or closer “Butcher Baby” just go to show listeners that some things do get better with age.
Death Sentence is available now through Mascot Records. Get yours here or digitally here.
Grade: A