19th November 2023

Review: “Anodize” by Shatterface

In the heart of the apocalyptic wasteland an Industrial Metal machine lies rusting and broken, abandoned to be reclaimed by the harsh heat of the desert sands. Influenced by the dark world of Science Fiction and movie culture alongside individual personal dissent and torments, a trio of brave souls venture forth to resurrect the machine, intent on breathing new life into its rotting corpse. That trio are Shatterface, a collective who follow the left hand path to create as they see fit, going against the grain of what they witness in the scene around them…

Raw, primitive and yet deliciously addictive, “Anodize” finds Shatterface in Industrial Nu-Metal territory of the early 90’s with a drum machine chemically enhancing their sound and giving them an adamantium skeleton. “Bitter Days” finds vocalist Robert King impressing, his range flowing from a Marilyn Manson like almost spoken drawl to deeper darker unclean and then something in between, all the while spitting a lyrical narrative that suggests he wants to rip himself apart to unleash the spirit within like a schizophrenic. Think “Felons And Revolutionaries” by Dope or “Anything for the Devil” by Rikets and you get the idea. “Eternal Nothing” continues in the same vein, the guitars and bass low in the mix until a solo from Tim Goss lifts things from the bleak industrial soundscape the band create. They have purposefully given this collection of tracks the vibe of a demo or remix album by Spineshank, Fear Factory or Marilyn Manson and it works well because those industrial layers partially mask the groove of the guitar work. That’s not to say there aren’t a few issues however, the balance isn’t always right, something that is confined to moments in tracks. “Devoid Of Life” is an example, the unhinged vocals slightly awkward as King tries to cram in a few extra words here and there. That being said, the bass heavy cut is still solid enough to capture the imagination and no doubt in the live arena has been worked out. After all, it has all the elements you could want, from pulverising rhythms to icy synths and crunchy guitars. “Sand And Blood” completes the collection with a mid tempo chugged riff and a nostalgia trip through a seemingly Mad Max inspired apocalyptic wasteland. While there are sing-a-long lines what the record lacks is a couple of big choruses and a couple of real gut punch moments but it certainly packs plenty of promise for their next record [7/10]