Century Media, 2009
6/10
Canada’s metal warlods 3 Inches Of Blood are back with their fourth album, their first for Century Media. A new label home isn’t the only thing that’s changed. Except for vocalist Cam Pipes, the entire lineup of 3 Inches Of Blood has turned over since 2004’s breakthrough album Advance And Vanquish, and the dual screamer/singer vocalist approach popularized by Linkin Park is thankfully gone. The band has been boxed into a “traditional” heavy metal description (whatever that means), however, Here Waits Thy Doom is a surprisingly eclectic and varied affair. Stylistically the album is all over the map, from frantic thrashers (“At The Foot Of The Great Glacier” and “Call Of The Hammer”) to boogie-tempo rockers (“Rock In Hell”) to slow foot-stompers (“Preacher’s Daughter”). Variety is good, but the album lacks a consistent, cohesive feel that leaves me scratching my head as to what the band was trying to accomplish. The first half of Here Waits Thy Doom was a huge disappointment with its lack of attention-grabbing songs. Things pick up a bit for the second half, and “Snake Fighter”, “All Of Them Witches”, and “Execution Tank” restored some confidence that the band hasn’t completely lost direction. 3 Inches Of Blood has a lot going for them with a distinctive vocalist in Cam Pipes (he really reminds me of a screaming Jon Oliva) and quality musicianship, but the songwriting falls flat on half the record here. Hopefully the current roster of the band will stabilize and find a clear direction for the next record.
3 Inches Of Blood will be appearing at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on Friday, November 20. Support will come from Saviours and Holy Grail.
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