Johnny Truant – No Tears For The Creatures
No Tears For The Creatures – Johnny Truant
by Aidan Roberts
This is a hardcore record, whether by social definition or by pure visceral reaction. Hailing from Brighton, England, Johnny Truant battle the bitter cold winds of their homeland with a brand of metal that defies easy classification. Like the Orwellian artwork on their album sleeve, these songs howl with a sinewy rage; strident rocker Death Rides blasts the ears like Hells Angels’ exhaust pipes. As well as the blind grind-core pounding, there is lyrical artistry at play here; Dead Ships Sinking is suitably apocalyptic, and perhaps the best track on the record, The Weeping, Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth, sings a sad farewell to these tales of misery and fighting, with a tinge of the very distinct, mixolydian majesty of fantasy metal. This is not a comfortable listen by any stretch, and unless you’re really into having your face smashed in (musically), then it may not be for you. Perhaps the demographic for this kind of music is a little removed from us inner-city sensitive types!
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