Soundshok is a Scottish metal outfit that has been rampaging since 2001. They’ve released a demo, two EPs and even a live album before last year brought us their very first full length record through Rising Records entitled The Bringers Of Bloodshed. Let’s see if it's any good.

 

The band claims to draw its influences from bands like Sepultura, Slayer, Lamb Of God, Decapitated and a few more, which means pretty straightforward brutal metal with a lot of groove. And that is exactly what you get on The Bringers Of Bloodshed, nothing more, nothing less. Which unfortunately means that they do not stand out on any front at all.

 

The production of this record is a bit damp as well, spoiling the sound quality a bit. This band is unfortunately also haunted by a one-dimensional vocalist with no power to his voice whatsoever. After two songs he gets on your nerves so you can only imagine how you feel after you've heard the full nine tracks. Luckily the music does have some enjoyable parts to it that remind of acts like Chimaira, Hatebreed and Sepultura indeed, but it never gets really impressing anywhere.

 

I’m very happy for these guys that they’re able to play the music that they love and that they even got to release it unto the world, but I fear that there aren’t many people waiting for it. Except for a bunch of partly deaf ancient death metal heads with grey beards and beer bellies the size of a sumo wrestler. And I’m not (yet) one of those. Are you?