ALBUM REVIEW: Gallower – Vengeance & Wrath

Polish blackened thrash metal maniacs Gallower are back with their second full length album. This beast was unleashed by Dying Victims Productions.

A false calm is conveyed with the introduction before descending into hellish infernos. The mix of ferocious rhythmic battery and melodic guitars rips into life, immediately gripping you with catchy and morbid soundscapes. The mix feels really clear without squashing everything together so each sharpened note can lacerate its victim easily. Picking up the pace, we launch into overdrive with grooving fury as the demonic vocal artillery begins to drop. Alongside the black and thrash, there is a very traditional heavy metal flare with a distinctly venomous approach that is totally killer. Gallower picks up where their last material left off; delivering total evil and carnage. Equally, if this band is new to you, “Vengeance & Wrath” will convince you with its opening moments to pound your fist and bang your head to the mayhemic lust of their new opus.

A raging energy and presence commands you as the record spins at warp speed. Each menacing riff and mean vocal is backed by a tempest of hardened drums and bass, reminiscent of the 80s while the more extreme edge is definitely ramped up enough to be more than some nostalgia project. Poland has a killer history of metal. From classics like Kat and Imperator to more recent names like Sexmag; Gallower are in good company when it comes to maniacal and unholy music. Indeed they live up to their countrymen with this savage recording of unhinged mania. The tracks are memorable and have a wildness to them that is essential to this niche of metallic barbarity. Similarly the sense of melody and more anthemic choruses ensure an unforgettable experience while they crush your skulls with the earthquaking brutality betwixt the more classic moments.

Weaving seamlessly between the faster high octane moments and slower, more punchy passages; Gallower keeps things fresh and marching forward. This is a sign of a band with plenty of creativity rather than one of those black-thrash ripoffs that just gives 30 minutes of d-beat and bad Venom-copy riffs. The more mystical, almost medieval sound on some sections adds a real cool atmosphere to the songs while the ripping aggression never leaves for long, ensuring more bone-splitting destruction is never far away. The varying drums, riffing and also vocal patterns a lot through the album keeps things exciting and reminds me of bands like Blackevil and Witching Hour which is certainly not a bad thing. It really feels like Gallower have found their sound early on (even on the demo tape) and continued to perfect it to this sharpened spearhead of total devastation.

Gallower unleash their most well-rounded album to date. This is a punishing cut of black thrashing heavy metal that will summon real maniacs at the witching hour for sodomy and chaos. Their songwriting has developed into a very strong balance between extreme raging and more traditional spirits, keeping a command of you with all things true metal. Prepare to be bewitched by the obscure sophomore banger from Poland’s Gallower, it’s well worth your time.