They seem to be a somewhat indecisive band, THROTTLEROD. On 2003's "Hell and High Water" (their second full-length but the first album I ever heard by them) they played a very brutal kind of southern-fried rock. They followed that up with the EP "Starve The Dead" that showed a mellower, largely acoustic THROTTLEROD. Now two years have gone by, guitarist and founder member Bo Leslie has left the band and THROTTLEROD are now a threesome that has largely abandoned their southern roots for a noisier approach. It's still recognizable as THROTTLEROD, mainly due to the guitar sound and Matthew Whitehead's unmistakable voice, but this is clearly a different band than we're used to. Louder especially, and darker and grittier.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but the brutal, screeching, sometimes dissonant riffing, pounding beats and Matt Whitehead's pissed-off growl almost give this album an old hardcore feel. Just listen to how the album's standout track "A Fly On The Fault Line" builds up. When was the last time you heard a rock band this menacing? Yet there is enough groove and soul to keep this firmly rooted in rawk! territory. Think a classic rock version of SHELLAC and you'll get the general idea.

I don't know what THROTTLEROD will be doing after this record, but I wouldn't mind if they deepened out this style somewhat more, since it seems to work so well for them. It's their best album yet.

- Van Hoften

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/throttlerod

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