Wednesday 8 March 2017

ATTALLA - Glacial Rule (Album Review)


Release date: March 24th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Glacial Rule – Tracklisting

1.Butte Des Morts
2.Ice Harvest
3.Valderan
4.Black Wolf Rituals 06:50
5.Devil's Lake
6.Glacial Rule

Band Members

Cody Stieg - Lead Guitar/Vocal
Brian Hinckley - Rhythm Guitar
Bryan Kunde - Bass
James Slater - Drums

Review

Greetings all,

Here we have the new record from Sludgy Wisconsin Doom Metal mavens, Attalla. Glacial Rule is the band's second full length. I'm going to skip all the Wisconsin cheese and Packers jokes to say that there is some dark, ritualistic shit going on in the icy realms of the Northwest. Glacial Rule is a riff loaded monster of a record that delivers track after track. The six songs deliver with all killer and no filler (I hope that isn't trademarked or something).

Here is the breakdown; the album opens with Butte Des Morts, that drops a huge ass riff before kicking in to a solid rock n roll swagger. The next track Ice Harvest offers even more big crushing riffs and showcases the Doom laden lyrics that permeate all of the songs on the album. Valderan and Black Wolf Rituals are the next two songs offered up and although they continue with the massive riffage, their tempo is a bit slower. With Valderan offering an almost St Vitus like sound.

The vocals shine on these two songs. I was reminded at times of both Pentagram's Bobby Liebling and John Garcia of Kyuss fame. It may be partly due to the subject matter, but it could also be due to vocalist/guitarist Cody Stieg's delivery. Clean and dark and spooky as hell. Devil's Lake brings back the up-tempo feel of the first two tracks before unleashing some guitar wail and heading back to it's gloomy close. The albums closer is the title track, Glacial Rule, it is a big, slow closer that showcases the chops and strong song writing of the band.

As a said earlier, Attalla's Glacial Rule is a fine record from beginning to end. If you dig doom metal and big guitars and riffs you have to do yourself a favor and find this gem. Download or grab some vinyl. I have a feeling this wont be the last time we see Attalla this year. This monster should rear it's dark foreboding head on quite a few best of the year lists. I know for certain it will be on mine.

Words by Todd Stealey - Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou

Thanks to Attalla for the promo. Glacial Rule will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from their BandCamp Page on March 24th 2017.

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