CD Reviews round-up - Gallows / Katatonia / The Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band (From The Westmorland Gazette)

CD Reviews round-up - Gallows / Katatonia / The Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band

1:20pm Sunday 16th September 2012 in News By Daniel Orr, Reporter

GALLOWS - Gallows

FOLLOWING the departure of their enigmatic frontman Frank Carter, punk rockers Gallows have relaunched themselves with Wade MacNeil at the helm.

According to the band, this album is their ‘statement of intent, our laugh in the face of those who said Gallows were done when in reality we’re just warming up’.

It’s a full-on attack on the senses, with distorted guitars, pounding drums and screaming vocals proving that they mean business.

KATATONIA - Dead End Kings

NOT to be confused with one-time Britpop band Catatonia, popular Swedish purveyors of doom Katatonia are back with their ninth studio album.

And it’s not exactly laugh a minute - filled as it is with pessimistic lyrics of despair and song titles such as The One You Are Looking For Is Not Here.

Music like this is just too dark and desolate for me, but I’m sure their fans will love it.

THE REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND - Between The Ditches

SLIDE guitars and shuffling rhythms dominate on this wholly pleasant record straight out of the southern Indiana foothills of America.

The vocals are really strong, although I couldn’t help but be put off by the fact that they reminded me of Peter Griffin off Family Guy.

However, once you get used to this, there is much to enjoy here, with tracks such as Big Blue Chevy ‘72 and Devils Look Like Angels as catchy as anything.