The debut full-length album from Oklahoma’s FENRIR is cranked up, in-your-face Rock N Roll with bluesy vocals and heavy Southern riffs. The album, titled “Summerland” was released 13 December 2019 on Road Rat Records. One thing that stays song-to-song on this album is the heavy Southern Metal influence (think Crowbar, Down, Corrosion of Conformity, etc.) that’s been set to play at double speed. Sludgy heavy riffs, but at almost Thrash speeds. Not an album for those with major heart conditions, as “Summerland” is sure to get the blood pumping.
Not unlike many other bands, “Summerland” opens with an intro track that builds to a great lead in to “The Last Ride”. This song is unrelenting straight out of the gate and does not let up. It’s in-your-face Rock N Roll just as promised. “Strike First” is where we are first treated to the Southern Metal sound with its chunky, groove filled riffs and is followed by “Ride This Coffin” keeping the Southern sound strong. This very well could be a sped up Down song and it isn’t difficult to imagine Phil Anselmo singing along. The sudden stop of “Ride This Coffin” moving into the blistering, lead guitar heavy intro of “Pray For Morning” is incredibly attention grabbing and demands a listen, but still isnt missing those strong Southern grooves. A slight change in direction, “The Witching Hour” featuring Robie Raygun supplying additional vocals has the tone and rhythm of DJ-less (there isn’t any “scratching”) Nu-Metal. “Nosferatu” is undeniably face-ripping Rock N Roll with a riff heavy bridge and chorus, yet with lyrics that would be perfectly at home with Horror Punk or Psychobilly. A fun surprise for fans of Pantera would be “Born of the Snake”, written and lead guitar performed by Jimmy Moon. The sound leads to the belief that this could be some long lost Pantera song. The lead guitar remarkably resembles that of Dimebag Darrell. “Annihilate” slows things down just enough compared to the rest of the album that it sounds like a Southern Metal song played at the appropriate speed. “Burn The Witch” starts heavy with chunky riffs, pinch squeals and deep gravely vocals. It then moves into the same Nu-Metal sound in the rhythm and tone found earlier in “The Witching Hour”, but with a metalcore-esque breakdown thrown in. Sometimes, someone is just too hateful to die, or stay dead in the case that they do actually perish. “6 Years Dead” explores this person’s story in a heavy Rock N Roll anthem. The title track “Summerland” closes out the regular track listing of the album. Summerland is definitely not a happy place as the name may suggest. The song is sludgy, slow burning and lyrically about this vast wasteland of the dead, both God and the Devil avoid. The true closer, if one is willing to skip ahead after the conclusion of “Summerland”, is “Maniac”. Originally written and recorded by Paul Mauled (Bad Whoremoans) on the 2013 album Bad Whoremoans in 3D, “Maniac” is a fun-filled, pogo crazy, punk rock song with simpler chord progression and recorded emphasis on the snare drum with the arrangement and lyrics of classic Horror Punk.
While the song “Summerland” may be about a place no one should ever want to end up, the album and its creator FENRIR have something just about anyone can enjoy. Ear drum bursting, heavy Rock N Roll, some traditional Heavy Metal, some Horror, some Punk Rock, a little Nu-Metal, all blended together making “Summerland” a great album to end the year on. The year may be just about over, but FENRIR is going to be around for a while. The debut album “Summerland” is available now on most streaming platforms, Bandcamp, and physical editions, limited to 50 copies, from Road Rat Records. Play this album as loud as you can!
https://fenrirhxc.bandcamp.com/album/summerland-2