Hangmans Joke is starting to put together quite an impressive stable of British metal talent. Their latest release is the second album from York outfit RSJ. The band have established quite a following based on their ferocious live shows (evidence of which is provided by the 2 live tracks offered as part of the bonus material on Gain To Nothing).
RSJ reveal their intentions from the off, and go straight for the throat with the rumbling and ferocious “Degrees of Separation”.
“Monkey See, Monkey Do” starts in similarly straightforward fashion, but contains an instrumental section reminiscent of Twin Zero. RSJ are clearly not unfamiliar with dynamics. Similarly, “Deadbolt” mixes heavy sections with a short instrumental, allowing the song to ebb and flow.
The Tool influenced “Code Zero” replaces the roared vocals with almost spoken-word delivery. This is actually rather sinister and adds yet more textures to the album. “As She Sleeps” is equally dark and would probably sit comfortably on a Will Haven album.
“My Bastardised Son” is the most thrash/hardcore track, but underneath the savagery has a head-nodding groove.
“Raised To The Ground” changes the pace again, with slower melodic sections offering a balance to the riff-heavy metallic parts.
The dark, electronic beats of “Lo-Di”, are more of an interlude than a fully realised song but shows a band that is willing to experiment.
“Mindprint” has odd time-changes and a slow, melodic section that builds tension. Although only around four minutes long, the song has distinct “movements” and moods.
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The final song of the album proper “Restructure” sees the introduction of twiddly guitar parts to supplement the bludgeoning ones.
The live tracks “Dystonia” and “A Theme For Murder” are older songs (available on the first RSJ album “Reflections In B Minor”) and demonstrate what a good live band RSJ are.
The three remixes are intriguing if not essential versions of other older songs. The ethereal female vocals of the Harpies remix of “Delusions Of Popularity”, is probably the pick of the bunch, though The Officers industrial-dance version of “Blood and Sand” is an interesting reworking.
“My Deluded Popularity (Right Shite Jamboree Mix)” is a tongue-in-cheek swing/jazz acoustic version of “Delusions Of Popularity”. It was probably a lot of fun to record but it is really just an amusing novelty.
When every half-arsed US metal band is touted as the new saviours of metal, it is refreshing that the UK is still producing underground bands that more than hold their own against their trans-Atlantic contemporaries. While RSJ’s influences can be clearly heard, they still sound fresh and modern, and are deserving of a much wider audience.
Highly recommended.
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