The Blood of Heroes’ self-titled release is the veritable soundtrack of the post-apocalypse; a post-modern meltdown of genre and form where chaotic soundscapes reign. The album sounds like the evil twin of Prodigy, if he were to light himself on fire and run around the set of Terminator Salvation with a mini-gun. Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu, Napalm Death), Bill Laswell, Submerged, End.user, and guest vocalist Dr. Israel collaborate to bring us this hard-hitting release.
Sonically, the album’s mix is superb. The Blood of Heroes features a hefty amount of ambient noise that is delivered tastefully. Many artists struggle with using pads/ambient sounds in a way that enhances the music without being overbearing, which is not an issue for The Blood of Heroes. Not only do they use these tools effectively, they also have succeeded in creating an album that flows from start to finish. Each song is unique, yet written and mixed to sound like a cohesive work. All too often in the age of digital downloads the art of creating album is lost. The Blood of Heroes succeeds in delivering an album rather than a hodgepodge of unrelated tracks. It is also especially impressive how individually, many of the instruments are intended to sound messy, yet the end result is extremely high in fidelity. For example, guitars and basses are layered with grainy synthesizers resulting in a fairly chaotic sound. Regardless of this fact, the individual notes that each instrument are playing remain discernable. Industrial-influenced releases have the ability to sound very amateurish, but The Blood of Heroes is one of the most polished releases I have heard in a long time.
Dr. Israel’s contributions to the album really set The Blood of Heroes apart. His lyrical style and accent, coupled with a distorted (and occasionally detuned) vocal treatment, sound haunting when paired with the album’s sinister music. The good doctor’s voice is spatialized with delay effects, which is a pleasant throwback to dub music.
The Blood of Heroes is truly a hard album to categorize with influences ranging from doom metal, deathmetal, and grindcore to film scores, dub, and various electronica styles. The group has managed to blend these elements to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that is relentlessly heavy from start to finish. Not only is The Blood of Heroes a great album, it should also be the mandatory soundtrack for every intense sci-fi action film.
Key Tracks: Blinded, Wounds Against Wounds, Transcendent
Matt Shelvock – MuzikReviews.com Staff
June 24, 2010
