Feb 21 2009
Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer
The Cancer Bats’ 2008 album, Hail Destroyer, has received some favorable press in the past, but now it’s my turn to talk.
Even though the band originated from my hometown (Toronto) in a time where I often went to see independent bands, I’ve never seen them live. From listening to this album, I’ve concluded that a live show would be pretty intense.
The album starts off with the title-track, a three minute hardcore masterpiece. The thrashing drums, edgy guitar, and half-screamed vocals set the bar high for the other 11 songs. It was easy to understand the mood of this song, and I enjoyed listening to it.
The last chorus repeats “Hail Destroyer!” over and over. Even sitting at home I can picture a crowd screaming their lungs out to this - perfect for a live show.
Deathsmarch is definitely worth mentioning. The song starts off a little differently, with a naked drum beat, before being joined by guitar and vocals. The gang-vocal choruses are again sing-a-long friendly (I sense a theme here). If you’re a fan of Alexisonfire, you might recognize a familiar voice - Wade MacNeil has his own verse.
There are many other great songs on this album, but the above mentioned were the only ones that really stood out to me. I enjoy hardcore/punk music, but the constant screaming and harsh distortion on Hail Destroyer tends to fatigue my ears after a few songs. Maybe that just means I’m a wimp though…
Check out Myspace.com/cancerbats for tour dates!
Sincerely,
BW.
