Review: “Death Rattle” by Desert Storm

“Death Rattle is an album that leans to Desert Storm’s strengths in song-writing ability. It is cohesive and flows with each song telling an individual tale, bound by common topics throughout. Genre traversing, musically progressing from the extreme and hard to softer palettes, moments of the ethereal. The light and dark shades are synonymous with the Desert Storm sound, as that which is completely light or dark is neither truly without contrast. This is true also for the lyrics which span thematically. The core string section of two guitars and single bass are complemented by an array of other instruments throughout the album, but act as a solid foundation for heavy grooves and riffs. Death Rattle is best served loud.” ~ Matthew Ryan, vocals

Recorded and mixed at Woodworm Studios in Oxfordshire between winter of 2021 and summer of 2022 by Steve “Geezer” Watkins, before being mastered in September 2022 by Brad Boatright (Torche, Nails, High on Fire) at Audiosiege in Portland Oregon, “Death Rattle” continues the twenty two year long siege from Oxford Progressive Sludge Doom Metal act Desert Storm with their eighth studio record. In that time they have toured throughout Europe, treading the boards with Crowbar, American Headcharge, Conjurer and Raging Speedhorn to name but a few but this new burnt offering marks their first without second guitarist Chris White and was written and recorded during a time when the Worlds concert halls were mothballed. A studio once owned by legendary folk band Fairport Convention which recent years has seen the likes of Tony Iommi and Rob Halford recording there should serve as fitting inspiration…

Bringing timelessly classic Stoner Sludge Metal riffs worthy of Worship, guitarist Ryan Cole giving us plenty of what we crave from Desert Storm with opening cut “Master Of None“, the powerful rhythm section of drummer Elliot Cole and bassist Matthew Dennett provide a plethora of rhythmic grooves as an underpinning. As vocalist Matthew Ryan shares his thoughts, the band wonder between chunky riffs with a decent amount of bite and a few moments of melody and in all honesty if this had been delivered at any point in the past 45 odd years you’d be none the wiser and equally as happy. That’s a testament to the quality of the song writing abilities with which Desert Storm craft their material, the extra time and care spent perhaps due to the lack of touring paying dividends in the end. Near eight minute magnum opus “Cheyne Stoking” becomes a genre masterclass with a little more weight, gravity and integrity in the gravelly uncleans from Ryan as he pushes himself harder to match the crush of the riffs. The flow of the record as a whole is the sonic equivalent of a lava from from a volcano to the ocean bed but within the track itself it is achieves a nirvana which others have struggled to, the seamless transitions between sections as the band paint from black to white with shades of grey being immense. “Bad Trip” has Karma To Burn vibes with a melancholic undertone despite its Earth shifting power, the melodic introduction providing a gentle breeze to resurrect from sleep before the crushing tones surface once more and wash it all away. That introduction sets the scene for the meandering melodies of the largely instrumental “Melatone“, its rich dark tapestry interwoven with lead nuance as chinks of light appear through the dark clouds overhead. A piece of Progressive Sludge Metal done the right way, it offers absorbing and captivating moments which serve to quench a thirst you didn’t know you had, food for the soul.

Vibes from the Deep South surface with an acoustic introduction to “Salt Of The Earth“, Ryan finding a new depth of range with a drawl that is hitherto unheard and plays to his strengths vocally. Cleverly using the electric guitars in the chorus and then dying back to the acoustic guitars for the verse, this one is one of the more diverse and yet holds on to the essence of what Desert Storm are with both hands, hints of Corrosion Of Conformity influence rising from the black depths as it plays out in a distinctively laid back style. A metamorphosis into “Druid’s Heath” is equally as clever as it drops down from a powerful opening to a mesmerising and hypnotic trance inducing melodic mid section before building the mountain for a grand finale that raises the hairs on the back of the neck with fretboard smouldering leads. It has a restorative quality that is reflected in the title, the meanderings never growing old or boring but instead capturing the mood as they allow you to float with them. Breaking out of that with the “Pure Rock Fury” era Clutch opening of “Insomniac” is masterfully done before the band transcend to another melodic mid section as if it were another track entirely. Would they dare tinker with tribal sounds like Soufly during these passages? or a little bit of Hammond organ? Maybe that’s something for the future but here the exit wound is as powerful as the entry one meaning the band make their mark upon your soul with their scalding hot branding iron. “Self Deprecation” houses within its slender framework one of the albums finest riffs and despite its introspective title is a integral piece of the puzzle of “Death Rattle” serving to cement the album as a Progressive Sludge Doom Metal classic from a band at the height of their powers. It would be a fitting conclusion but the band have other ideas in store, offering up an instrumental befitting of an art house movie in “New Dawn” [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Master Of None
2. Cheyne Stoking
3. Bad Trip
4. Melatone
5. Salt Of The Earth
6. Druid’s Heath
7. Insomniac
8. Self Deprecation
9. New Dawn

“Death Rattle” by Desert Storm is out 31st March 2023 via APF Records with pre-orders available over at bandcamp.