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SKINNER
Sleepwalkers

Dead Inside (2014)
Rating: 8/10

Well, with a name like Skinner some of you may be expecting some gore-obsessed grindcore or death metal band, but the moniker does in fact simply come from vocalist Norman Skinner, who fronts this Californian thrash metal band.

Skinner could well feature one of the youngest ever musicians in guitarist Grant Kolowitz, who was taken on by the band in 2011 at the tender age of 13. Grant is the son of Robert Kolowitz who also plays guitar and he’s accompanied by bassist Jim Pegram and drummer Noe Luna, but even more intriguing is the fact that the band features a third guitarist, one Alfred Luis San Miguel.

Sleepwalkers is the full-length debut from this San Jose-based combo and comes two years after the band’s 2012 The Enemy Within EP, and with so many thrash bands lurking around every corner I am pleasantly surprised by this 11-track offering.

What I initially liked about this album is the refreshing variation as the band slips from crunchy Bay Area-styled thrash metal before moving into power metal territory. Strangely, the mixing of styles in such effortless fashion reminds me of the 1990 Whiplash album Insult To Injury, where the New Jersey band altered direction and became more melodic, yet to their benefit.

Vocally, Norman Skinner has the same tone as Glenn Hansen who made Insult To Injury so accessible, but his deeper-set groans seem to grace the energetic guitars on this record which have the ability to crunch, chug and rush at pace.

The title track is a perfect way to kick off, and features crisp percussion but overall a fantastic vocal performance which is easy on the ears, and above all fits nicely into the thrash ethic without limiting the band. It’s a fast and furious track but instantly catchy and, believe me, if I’d heard this around 1987 / 88 I’d have said this was a class act, and I’ve no reason to change my opinion just because it’s contemporary thrash.

‘Orphans Of Liberty’ features a blazing guitar assault and live these guys must make for scintillating viewing with the trio of talent. ‘Orphans Of Liberty’ expresses similar intent combining the aggression with the melody while injecting a slower tempo to take it out of the thrash zone. ‘Hell In My Hands’, however, has a more straightforward approach where the band adopts a more aggressive streak; the track has a hint of Testament about it, and that’s certainly another band I can hear here as Skinner shift between flowing melody and chunkier segments.

‘Blind Led Blind’ and ‘Guilt-Ridden’ are good, solid thrashier numbers, but another surprise is inflicted upon us with the superb ‘Breathe The Lie’; for its initial passages, ‘Breathe The Lie’ completely swerves away from the thrash code and transforms into a majestic power metal performance, and that’s the star quality of this band in literally every department. Norman Skinner showcases his varying tones on this number, and the leads flirt between traditional metal and complex arrangements.

‘Miss Agony’ is a molten slab of thrashing power metal where the drums and bass rise above the norm’, and by the time the classy ‘The Enemy Within’ soars off into the distance with its raging drums, killer leads and deathlier sneers, I’m reliably informed by Sleepwalkers that Skinner are not just another thrash band on the block, but a sextet who have a distinctive edge over their competitors by way of not limiting themselves to the formulaic. And when one considers that guitarist Grant Kolowitz is a mere teenager and yet already churning out some excellent work, goodness knows what this band are capable of, so keep an eye on them.

Neil Arnold

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