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CHAINFIST
Scarred

Mighty Music (2014)
Rating: 7/10

Unfortunately, I never caught up with Chainfist’s 2010 debut offering Black Sunday, but all good things come to those who wait I guess, and I’m pleased to say that the sophomore effort from this Danish quintet is one that many shall enjoy.

So, if – like me – you’re new to these guys, then it’s worth mentioning that they formed in 2007 and the current line-up consists of Jackie Petersen (vocals), Michael Kopietz (guitar), Thomas Hvisel (guitar), Braca Pedersen (bass) and Jesper Heidelbach (drums).

This new outing sees the band enlist the mixing talents of one Jacob Hansen, who is known for mastering the works of Pretty Maids and Primal Fear among others. According to the press release for this record, Hansen wanted to find a sound for the band that enabled the heavy riffs to shine, and yet not exist as too polished and for the vocals to appear smooth, with a mainstream and yet very metallic effect. Hansen has most certainly achieved that goal because every instrument here is its own boss, ruling its own personal wasteland to create an immense structure of sound with the overall result being something akin to a mid-career Metallica, but bereft of the ego.

One only has to look at a track such as ‘10,000’ to hear the Metallica influence, whether in the trudging riffage or Petersen’s James Hetfield-styled vocal sneer. It’s certainly not a thrashing sound, but a mid-tempo range that Metallica moved into during the late 90s. However, for Chainfist the sound sits more comfortable, hinting at a mainstream stomp and yet remaining true with its weight.

Okay, so the more you listen to it the more the Metallica comparisons grow, but these guys have some excellent moments of melody too and have the ability to mix those chunkier, and sporadically faster segments with some real, slow, slamming passages. This becomes immediately apparent with the hastier slug of ‘Scars Of Time’, the bruising ‘Seven Minutes Of Pain’ and the brooding ‘Mass Frustration’. However, Chainfist knows how to throw in that air of the mainstream too, giving a softer Metallica a run for its money with ‘Another Day In Hell’, although ‘Poison Moon’ quite literally throws in every shade, speed and tempo.

My only gripe about Scarred is that it’s a pretty much no frills affair, reminding one of countless just-above-thrash acts which emerged during the late 80s. Chainfist do seem to have enough in the locker to enable them to rise above mediocrity, but I’ve no doubt that the Metallica comparisons will come thick and fast. That is not necessarily bad thing though, especially when you consider that Metallica haven’t written a truly great record since the 80s, and so Chainfist’s sophomore opus could well fill that gap, even if it’s the sort of sound you heard decades before.

Neil Arnold

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