30th December 2020

Review: “Repulsar” by Solarhead

Vocalist Jason Emry and guitarist Bob Hamilton (who also handled bass duties) are a duo known as Solarhead. Having written music together for many years in many different bands they got together to form Solarhead from the ashes of Abominaut at some point in 2019 before unleashing EP “Orbital Decay” in the summer of 2020. Once again returning to home studios in Indianapolis and Franklin, Indiana they unveiled their second offering to the Metal Gods in “Repulsar” on Christmas Day 2020…

…As with the “Orbital Decay” this new beast is just shy of 20 minutes and offers five cuts of Groove infused early 2000’s Nu-Metal, part Pantera and part Dry Kill Logic. Going straight for the jugular with “Abject Impermanence“, which after the radio has found their station, brings the high octane fuel with some adrenaline pumping percussive battery and Emry in furiously firey vocal form. He makes good use of a couple other voices to create a sense of schizophrenia like chaos and the Jazz Fusion Metal breakdown part is simply inspired. The bourbon soaked “Jekyllantern” brings a sense of 80s Hair Metal to proceedings without abandoning any of that satisfying chug in the guitar work while also having a certain amount of Faith No More influence to it. “Suffocated Cargo” that grabs a bit more attention with headbangable Grooves from the get go and Emry bringing that Phil Anselmo esq drawl spoken word moment in an undercurrent of furiously frenetic vocals that attack from all angles with multiple vocals coming from different layers all at the same time. From that bedlam of glorious chaos comes the haunting instrumental “Spacetimeless” which is a moment of clarity that builds on the overarching lyrical themes of science fiction with a luke warm piece of bleak beauty that has cinematic qualities. That makes way for the more straightforward bruser that is “Overlord” which has a clenched fist of defiance and once again makes great use of vocal layering. Hamilton may not bring any leads or solos to the table but he does have plenty rhythmic ideas and riffs a plenty for those vocals to feed off and if there is an undercurrent of political awareness in the lyrics of this final cut, it is very well disguised [7.5/10]

Track listing