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SISTER
Disguised Vultures

Metal Blade (2014)
Rating: 9/10

Sweden’s Sister has been a band on the rise for a few years. Their sound is a joyous, violent rebellion against slick corporate rock that gives a raging slab of metal a punk sneer and the debauched sleaze of glam.

If GG Allin, Turbonegro and Guns N’ Roses came together in an alcohol-fueled jam session the resulting fury would sound much like what Sister offers on their current release. Disguised Vultures ups the ante, proving that the band’s debut was just an introduction to what Sister is capable of.

At first listen, Disguised Vultures is a daunting release. Opening track ‘My Enemy’ barrels in full speed, sounding like the listener has joined the song somewhere in the middle. While the result is to leave one a bit ill at ease, it’s easy to envision this being the point. As the song progresses it becomes a cohesive piece; first exploding to life, then falling apart, and finally building into an engaging song.

Vocalist Jamie uses his voice as a weapon, alternately providing black metal shrieks and a growling melody that falls somewhere between the rough delivery of Lemmy (Motörhead) and the glam styling of Tamie Downe (Faster Pussycat). Guitarist Tim, meanwhile, creates a wall of distorted noise that is reminiscent of Turbonegro, Guns N’ Roses and Black Flag in turn. The result is an engaging sound that proves metal is still dangerous.

The Sister formula is obviously power, vitriol and testosterone. This is never more clear than on the title track. ‘Disguised Vultures’ brings the glam and power of Black Veil Brides and the old school attack of classic hardcore together to create a song that is a chant along homage to hate. It’s impossible to not be pulled into a vortex of the gut level rock contained within these five minutes.

Songs like ‘We Salute ‘Em’ continue the trend, coupling vile fueled metal with chanting gang vocals, effective harmonies, and thick walls of distortion, even on the growling bass. It’s the mix of aggression and melody that makes Disguised Vultures so threateningly irresistible.

It seems that hardcore has infected every area of heavy music in recent years, but Sister has perfected the art of mixing hardcore and metal into a single package with the impact of a sledgehammer. ‘Slay Yourself’ races ahead with a hardcore rhythm that gives more than a slight nod to punk’s angry brother while adding enough melody and musicianship to leave metal fans in awe. ‘(Stop The) Revolution’ mixes these sounds well, using hardcore riffing in a metal package to create a unique sound that presents enough common influences to please listeners in both the punk and metal camps. The sheer ferocity of these songs brings the danger from both genres forward to create a monstrous sound.

The production techniques employed by Martin Sweet (Crashdïet) on this album are perfectly suited to the band’s music. There is a mix of slick production and raw dirt that allow Sister to have a ragged edge that is just clean enough to enhance the songs. ‘Naked’ uses reverb to make a simple guitar riff sound huge, and the vocals in the chorus have been sweetened just enough to make them melodic and ear catching. Closer ‘Please Kill Me’ has a similar raw sound as well, with just enough glimmer to make the poisonous pill easy to swallow.

Where many albums fail from lack of production to enhance the songs, or so much production that the band seems to have been castrated, the sound created on Disguised Vultures is perfect for the music presented.

At first listen I found Sister’s latest release to be challenging. In that challenge I heard sounds that hearken back to my favourite bands through the years, and it intrigued me enough to keep listening. By the third time through Disguised Vultures I was hooked. Sister’s music is a sucker punch that leaves the listener coming back for more. Rarely does a set of songs come off as so unabashedly confrontational, yet offer melodies that stick in the brain. Sister stands on the razor’s edge on Disguised Vultures, presenting a sound that cuts to the bone and is too good to ignore.

Jim McDonald

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