POUNDER
“UNCIVILIZED”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Pounder are a heavy metal band from the USA formed in 2016, releasing their ‘Heavy Metal Disaster’ demo the following year. The three song E.P. ‘Faster Than Fire’ is the bands first official release and was an appetiser for the first full length album ‘Uncivilized’, which was released in 2019.

According to a Google search (other search engines are available), “uncivilized” is defined as “impolite and bad mannered”, and with the opening song off the debut album ‘Uncivilized’, from American metallers Pounder, titled ‘Fuck Off And Die’, the band fit one hundred percent into that definition. But to be fair, this is the only impolite and bad mannered moment the album has to offer, an album that is packed to the rafters with both speed and power metal gems. ‘Fuck Off And Die’ is an arrogant and fast paced barnstormer, with the chorus chant of “fuck off and die” a must to be chanted, growled or shouted at the top of your voice, or just played loud to annoy your neighbours. A blistering and explosive start to the album continues apace with the title song ‘Uncivilized’, carving a savage path across the land with buzzing NWOBHM sounding guitar riffage and a scorching “foot on the monitor” gallop. Pounder follow up last years speed metal E.P. ‘Faster Than Fire’ with a bombastic blast of faster paced speed metal as their debut full length offering ignites the air.

The brutal and aggressive opening doesn’t relent for a second, with the scorching ‘Red Hot Leather’ setting a new land speed record as it flies by at lightning speed. ‘Red Hot Leather’ borders the thrash metal genre as it steams on by, and Pounder have signalled their intent to deliver head bangers of the most ferocious and fierce nature. That is until the slower paced ‘Long Time No Love’ slides in, displaying power ballad tendencies and feels like it time travelled here from the early nineties sleaze metal genre, a genre occupied by the likes of Skid Row, Ratt and Faster Pussycat. A heavy mid tempo foot stomp keeps ‘Long Time No Love’ moving on, catchy and infectious and a chant style chorus to boot. Picking up the pace, tempo and urgency, ‘We Want The Night’ heads off at blistering speed, with a massive amount of the melodic twisted into the savage riffage. A catchy and sing a long able style chorus echoes European style power metal as ‘We Want The Night’ races on to its end.

With only eight songs on offer across a forty one minute play time, the album is a little short on numbers, but fuck me it’s huge on the attractiveness. Power, speed and traditional heavy metal is blended together to deliver an exhilarating and fast paced album of head bangingly addictive songs. ‘The Mists Of Time’ brings a heavy rock vibe to the album, stomping heavily as it strides on. Heavy hitting, ‘The Mists Of Time’ is as devastating as a wrecking ball, and will leave just as must destruction in its wake. Clocking in at over six minutes in length ‘Answer The Call’ is the longest song on offer and is the most melodic and mellow song on the album. Nodding its head toward the great power ballads that emerged from the (previously mentioned) early 1990’s sleaze metal genre, Pounder deliver a very emotionally charged experience. And to be honest, a last chance to catch a breather, before the final song comes hurtling over the horizon at break neck speed. ‘The Evil One’ is a barn storming barrage of savage speed metal that will have your heads nodding back and forth at speeds your head has never sped before. A head bangers dream of a romp, ‘The Evil One’ is a frenetic and furious end to a glorious album.

Overall, a fast paced and savage power come speed metal fury, infectious and catchy and an opportunity to head bang furiously.

TRACKLIST

Fuck Off And Die
Uncivilized
Red Hot Leather
Long Time No Love
We Want The Night
The Mists Of Time
Answer The Call
The Evil One

https://pounderheavymetal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pounderheavymetal/

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