Album Reviews |

Raging Speedhorn

Raging Speedhorn 7½ ( 2000 )
Superscud / Redweed / Knives and Faces / Mandan / Random Acts of Violence / Thumper / Necrophiliac Glue Sniffer / Dungeon Whippet / Death Row Dogs / High Whore

Because i'm lazy sometimes, here's a little intro taken directly from the official Raging Speedhorn web-site!

A band with two lead vocalists is rare within the context of Metal, but Frank Regan and John Loughlin augment their aggressive attacks with rapid-fire tradeoffs most often found in rap groups. Along with guitarists Gareth Smith and Tony Loughlin, bassist Darren Smith and drummer Gordon Morison, Raging Speedhorn have stockpiled more than twenty songs in just over a year together. Though based around a full-frontal assault from all musical directions, the songs are further strengthened by a willingness to let riffs breathe and chords hang.

Chords hang! Two lead-vocalists!! Metal!!! I can tell you're all getting overly excited already!!!! Raging Speedhorn have been hailed by lazy journalists ( step forward Amazon and AMG ) as the UK's answer to Slipknot. Hailing from Northamptonshire, an area ( if you include surrounding areas ) rich in local death-metal bands - to compare them to the likes of Slipknot, a band with which they have little in common, does them a disservice. UK thrash metal bands such as Napalm Death always had a kind of gritty reality about them that is certainly absent in Slipknot, for a start. Raging Speedhorn apparently do have two vocalists who interchange lines, but unless you're some kind of thrash metal freak you'll find to hard to distinguish between the two on record. You know, you can - if you concentrate, but concentrating kind of defeats the object of the excersize. I don't want to fucking concentrate, it's fucking metal innit! But, I don't know. I reckon these singers are pretty good. You actually can make out certain lyrical sections buried beneath the aggressive guitar lines and loud as thunderbolts, yet intertwined, bass and drums. These guys also have a way with melody, but it's never thrown at you - it's never overly obvious in a 'this is the radio hit' kind of way, and actually, coming from England benefits them in this. How so? Well, UK radio doesn't play metal music, hardly ever. Unless your lucky enough to find a specialist show. John Peel plays some of this stuff sometimes, and that's good, but it does require wider exposure. A quality UK band goes ignored, now there's a familiar story. Far too familiar sadly. So, Raging Speedhorn have little choice but to go out on tour, and go out on tour again, spreading the word.

Ah, 'Knives And Faces' is a highpoint. Stabbing guitars, somewhat appropriately. 'Random Acts Of Violence' is a wonder of a thing, a six minute long grind, very noisy and bordering on tuneless but for the fact it turns into a groovy fucking little thing by the time it's finished. 'Necrophiliac Glue Sniffer' has strong bass lines, 'Dungeon Whippet' has a tune and a half - and I leave this review wanting to both hear more Raging Speedhorn and also to wish the guys the best of luck. Check em out.

Add A Comment?