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The Gates of Slumber - Hymns of Blood and Thunder

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 September 22 2009 at 10:44:17 PM



Ah… Show us the Charm of Making! Like half the cover-art of early Bolt Thrower animated, The Gates of Slumber’s Hymns of Blood and Thunder plods along waist deep in mud and gore amongst clang of steel, howl of wounded, the enveloping roar of the vanquished inevitable. Reeking of cliché and empowered impossibly because of it, Gates stomps through songs about swords, chaos, battle, sorcery, the deep drop into misery, madness, bottomless sorrow and grief. These topics “work” for them because Karl Simon and Jason McCash and Bob “No relation to Dan” Fouts row the boat like lifers must – steady and strong and without ceasing. These topics also work because we want them to work. It’s too big a part of our day-to-day to want to fall into a Frazetta painting, taste blood and witch pussy, our beard soaked in mead and spit, our amour washed with the brains of the ignorant. The Savage Sword subscription abandoned long ago, we return to the well.

Gates obliges. Fattened on Cirith Ungol, Melvins, Manilla Road and the ghosts of hundreds of other consummate motherfuckin’ Heavy Metal deity, they know the path and they know how and why they must travel it. Sanford Parker, who’s been responsible for records I hate by bands I hate even more, has also notched the belt with Unearthly Trance, and it’s that swingin’ dick sound he imbues here, easily giving Gates their richest sounding recording yet: cave presence, torches lit, maybe an enthusiastic teabag from a slave-girl rustled up at the borderland tavern for a drinking horn and eye of newt. Echoes are omnipresent. Beer up and let the “that-sounds-like-________” game commence. No one’s saying Gates is doing something original. No one’s saying this is the “best” it’s ever been done. But when three Bunyans who look like they should be breaking the boar down and fixing him to the spit before setting in for a nice chaw of sweet virginny cut a record that bleeds this freely, you should be the first fuck in line poppin’ off to smear your cheeks with Porky’s dripping bowel.

[Stewart Voegtlin]

The Gates of Slumber
Hymns of Blood and Thunder
Rise Above Records
2009

Related

- Gates of Slumber - Conqueror

Comments (17)

  • 67 comments
    chauncey chomperz
    7:24 AM on Sep 23, 2009 // reply »
    my old band played with these guys, they were nice and they're pretty good live.

    I agree with your assessment, not the best or the most original but authentic and heartfelt for sure. and that's...worth supporting.
  • 108 comments
    jniff
    7:54 AM on Sep 23, 2009 // reply »
    Speaking of laughter, your quote about S Parker made me chuckle.
  • 64 comments
    neu konservatiw
    8:32 PM on Sep 24, 2009 // reply »
    Megadeth? Marduk? Slough Feg? The Gates of Slumber? When are you going to cut the shit and give us your take on the latest from The Ruins of Beverast?
  • 374 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    9:04 AM on Sep 25, 2009 // reply »
    zzzzzz
  • 64 comments
    neu konservatiw
    12:40 PM on Sep 25, 2009 // reply »
    Thanks!
  • 374 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    12:44 PM on Sep 25, 2009 // reply »
    Is that the "burzumic buzz" or the sound of me snoring?
  • 2 comments
    antitype
    1:36 PM on Sep 25, 2009 // reply »
    Have you noticed that The Ruins of Beverast sounds nothing like Burzum?
  • 374 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    1:48 PM on Sep 25, 2009 // reply »
    Naw.

    I haven't even listened to the record yet. Probably won't either. My LHP contract explicitly states I won't futz with records that have "semen" in the title.
  • 64 comments
    neu konservatiw
    1:51 PM on Sep 25, 2009 // reply »
    I actually understood it as the sound of you snoring, which I took to mean that you found it 'boring' (an assessment with which, on the whole, I tend to agree). However, I guess I had hoped you would entertain me a bit more by telling me the same thing in 500 words.
  • 374 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    1:53 PM on Sep 25, 2009 // reply »
    Fat chance. You guys think I get paid for this?

    Instead I'm writing 3,500 words on how awesome Priest's Stained Class is.
  • 7 comments
    YAFO
    11:16 AM on Sep 26, 2009 // reply »
    I don't think 3,500 words is enough to explain the brilliance of "Stained Class".
  • 23 comments
    trummer
    6:03 PM on Sep 26, 2009 // reply »
    YAFO is right you know, Stained Class' brilliance would require it's own dedicated webzine, so i reckon we are all looking forward to that stew.

    in the meantime i'm hoping to get a copy of this new Gates Of Slumber offering soon, original and new ?? erm, one must be on drugs to expect anything of the sorts these days. good drugs too, send me some please.

  • 374 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    7:29 AM on Sep 28, 2009 // reply »
    We'll see what happens. It'll be a minute on that one.

  • 67 comments
    chauncey chomperz
    9:59 AM on Apr 19, 2010 // reply »
    end of last year on your recommendation I bought this and the Nightbringer triple lp. Nightbringer is great. thanks for that tip.

    I'd never been compelled to buy a GoS album before, but I had money to burn and thought that "chaos calling" track sounded cool.

    I have given this one a thorough chance and it remains deeply unspectacular. I can only take so much Cirith Ungol anyway and I already have king of the dead. sorry Gates, ebay calling.
  • 374 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    10:02 AM on Apr 19, 2010 // reply »
    Had you told me about your threshold for CU, I would've told you to save yr money, honey.
  • 67 comments
    chauncey chomperz
    11:04 AM on Apr 19, 2010 // reply »
    oh yeah and Moss "sub templum" that was another gem from last year. 2/3 is pretty good I'd say.
  • 374 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    11:07 AM on Apr 19, 2010 // reply »
    Over 66 percent.
 

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