HARD CHARGER have been rather active in the Canadian scene for the last nearly 8 years, having released a handful of LPs, 7″s and splits. This is their first release for the newish label Primeval Sounds, based in Quebec City Quebec. This band wears their influences on the sleeves of their leather jackets, and one can definitely hear a ton of old school metal in the mix.
Chrome lord is 6 trax of blazing “hold em high” thrash punk with gasoline soaked vocals, galloping drums, thrash riffs galore, and really wicked guitar solos on fully half of the songs. The string tones provide a fuzzy warmth that not enough bands use today. They even throw in a couple multi – vocal parts for the choruses of some of the songs. This band really knows how to bring back the good parts of past heavy metal while cutting out and throwing away the absolute crap.
Lyrical matter on this record is maybe even more varied than the music. The album opener, Chrome Lord, is about a heavy metal giant that’s hellbent on destruction. Doc Ellis is a song about having to work to get by in society, even though you know it’s just a pointless waste of time. Burn the Rich is rather self – explanatory, but does have a really awesome solo to boot as well as a band chorus. Only The Grave is a sado – masochistic nightmare (or wet dream?), a song which has a great old school guitar solo that Lynnard Skynnard on speed would’ve been proud of. Spitting Venom has a cool time switch on the drums throwing in to a pseudo breakdown towards the end of the song before album closer “Wolves of Bedlam” fires up. “Wolves…” is a story of a mindless zombie nation produced by too much TV and social conditioning. It’s filled with guitar noodling for half of the one minute that it plays.
None of these songs even reach the two minute mark (although Only the Grave gets really close). Nope, these six songs are just really great Canadian punk filled with sweet metal goodness. It’s nice to see solos and breakdowns in this style of punk, without layering on the cheese like some others do.
Chrome lord is 6 trax of blazing “hold em high” thrash punk with gasoline soaked vocals, galloping drums, thrash riffs galore, and really wicked guitar solos on fully half of the songs. The string tones provide a fuzzy warmth that not enough bands use today. They even throw in a couple multi – vocal parts for the choruses of some of the songs. This band really knows how to bring back the good parts of past heavy metal while cutting out and throwing away the absolute crap.
Lyrical matter on this record is maybe even more varied than the music. The album opener, Chrome Lord, is about a heavy metal giant that’s hellbent on destruction. Doc Ellis is a song about having to work to get by in society, even though you know it’s just a pointless waste of time. Burn the Rich is rather self – explanatory, but does have a really awesome solo to boot as well as a band chorus. Only The Grave is a sado – masochistic nightmare (or wet dream?), a song which has a great old school guitar solo that Lynnard Skynnard on speed would’ve been proud of. Spitting Venom has a cool time switch on the drums throwing in to a pseudo breakdown towards the end of the song before album closer “Wolves of Bedlam” fires up. “Wolves…” is a story of a mindless zombie nation produced by too much TV and social conditioning. It’s filled with guitar noodling for half of the one minute that it plays.
None of these songs even reach the two minute mark (although Only the Grave gets really close). Nope, these six songs are just really great Canadian punk filled with sweet metal goodness. It’s nice to see solos and breakdowns in this style of punk, without layering on the cheese like some others do.
