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SCYTHE
Subterranean Steel

Primitive Reaction (2013)
Rating: 6/10

Although there may be at least ten or more bands going under the moniker of Scythe, take note of these Chicago, Illinois-based blackened thrashers as they are the pet project of Usurper guitarist Rick Scythe. The three-piece – including bassist Dan Geist and drummer Joey Contreras – have been around since 2011, releasing their sneering Beware The Scythe debut in 2012. It’s good to see they’ve continued on their left hand path by releasing this nine-tracker soon after.

Although a lot of bands are attempting to recreate that old school extreme metal sound, Scythe – despite still opting for that regressive approach – have also injected their product with a hint of blackened rock ’n’ roll while keeping the strongest flavours as a dose of old thrash and speedy black metal.

I’m not of the opinion that Scythe is original, but their meaty sound incorporates a number of known qualities, ranging from Swedish death metal and classic metal. With a sprig of occult dabbling, Subterranean Steel makes for quite a wholesome listen, especially with those chunky riffs and deathly snarls from Rick Scythe.

I did expect a little more from this record I must admit, but I enjoy the shifts in pace, particularly with tracks such as ‘Monarch’, and the sinister sludge of the title track with its doomy drums and scornful riffing. Maybe that rather crisp guitar tone, however, is the sole reason I’m not feeling as much of the underground as I would have liked. Even so, the title track is a real monster; probably the heaviest track on the record, it offers some great gothic undertones and then a quick change of pace.

Scythe is a hard band to pin down, especially with a track such as ‘October Dies’, which features a killer, although recognisable riff, but Rick’s vocals here work nicely as they drift between a more guttural growl and that usual decrepit grimace. The hilariously titled ‘The Grunting Dead’ is an all-out thrash assault, and the band effortlessly channel that old school black metal style but with bombastic overtones.

Despite its varying shifts in extreme metal styles, Scythe’s second record quickly fades from my attention, probably due to the fact that it relies heavily on simply punishing the listener with its mighty slabs. There’s nothing wrong with that of course, but when you hear a track such as ‘The Bray Beast’ one may find themselves rather bored. And when the band do begin to combine those old school values with speedier moments, like on ‘Nights Of Terror’ and the creeping ‘Thunder Hammer’, it seems a little too late to save Subterranean Steel from being another rather turgid outing that has a bark worse than its bite. Hats off to Scythe for trying to create a sum of several parts, but this is nothing more than a case of ready, steady… and steady!

Neil Arnold

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