War Gods Of The Deep - Action Space Battle
WAR GODS OF THE DEEP SET TO DROP ‘ACTION SPACE BATTLE’
Chicago-based heavy metal power rock outfit War Gods Of The Deep will drop Action Space Battle, on September 17, via Astro Dragon Records. You can preorder the album beginning today, August 17. Order here.
War Gods Of The Deep
Rawckus already has a copy of the album. Whoohoo! And it kicks ass, as expected. We can’t, of course, officially review it until given permission. To do so would anger the gods of war.
Still, we can relate some gen about the album. Essentially, War Gods Of The Deep is the musical brainchild of Rikk Currence, who recorded, engineered, mixed, and produced the album at the Black Viper Social Club, in Wheaton, Illinois.
Currence plays guitars, bass, drums, and provides the vocals on the album, as well as arranging all orchestration and strings.
Most interesting is the list of gear, particular equipment, and ‘stuff’ used to make the album, along with a polite disclaimer: War Gods Of The Deep does not “officially” endorse any products. In other words, this is what Currence utilized, but he wasn’t paid to use it and is not publicly/formally recommending it.
That being said, it’s an interesting and enlightening list: “Avid software, Lynx audio interfaces, Genelec speakers, Toontrack software, WAVES software, McDSP software, Plugin Alliance software, Native Instruments hardware & software, IK multimedia software, Rupert Neve Designs hardware, Universal Audio hardware & software, Black Lion Audio hardware, Trident audio hardware, Argosy consoles, Marshall amplification, ENGL Amplification, VOX Amplification, Fender guitars & basses, Gibson guitars, ESP guitars, PRS guitars, Gretsch guitars, Framus guitars, Pearl Drums & hardware, Pearl Tru Trac drum heads, Zildjian cymbals, Evans drumheads, Vater drum sticks, Pro Mark drum sticks, DW Pedals & hardware, Mogami Cables, D’Addario guitar strings, Earthquaker Devices guitar pedals, Protone pedals, LINE 6 hardware & software Fractal Audio hardware, SHURE microphones, Rode microphones, AKG microphones, Creation Audio Labs hardware, Apple computers, Ultimate support stands, Roland electronic drum interfaces, WARM audio hardware, Asylum cigars, bronze age Marvel comics, vintage TSR roleplaying games, vintage Warner Publishing magazines & vintage Starlog, Fangoria and EPIC magazines.”
We are also hoping to do an intensive interview with Rikk in the future, at which time we will dive into details on what kind of mods he uses on his guitars, which guitar is/was his ‘primary’ guitar, and his precise drum set-up.
Of special interest, naturally, is the reference to Asylum cigars. Yours truly, the reviewer, is a cigar freak, who smokes like a chimney. Turns out Asylum cigars “are a boutique line of cigars from the famed cigar master Christian Eiroa. Using premium tobacco such as, rich fertile Nicaraguan tobacco.”
At Rawckus, we are gearheads, and love this kind of shit. We are also hoping to do an intensive interview with Rikk in the future, at which time we will dive into details on what kind of mods he uses on his guitars, which guitar is/was his ‘primary’ guitar, and his precise drum set-up.
Now for the really good shit – the music. Borrowing from the CD’s liner notes, this is not an “official” review. It’s just a few initial reactions and notes.
The album has 10-tracks. From a purely subjective viewpoint, entry points include “Sons Of The Serpent,” riding a hard-driving melody rife with hints of punk-lite guitars. “Beautiful Oblivion,” which features heavy dark energy, as well as a potent muscular groove.
The opening riffs on “The Machine” are grand, full of hypertrophic punch, followed by tight, rasping vocals suffused by resplendent vocal harmonies. “Light Of Your Soul” hits like a sonic jackhammer, whereas “Burn The Misery” projects rocking textures from the ‘80s.
The final track, “Horizon,” a personal favorite, delivers dense harmonics riding a gleaming melody, topped by Currence’s growling, chaffing voice.
Suffice to say this: Action Space Battle is scrumptiously superb, chockfull of tantalizing rhythms, lyrical pyrotechnics, and beau coup oomph.
