The Pitch: After some lineup changes, one of my surprise breakout hits from 2015, New York's melodeath/blackened death band The Hudson Horror, make a return with their new EP Ruiner.
What I Like: THH are still bringing the tasty Gothenburg influences in the guitarwork that drew me in to begin with. Plenty of memorable solos and even a little jazzy interlude too. The very Black Dahlia Murder-esque approach to the vocals - brutal lows and blackened highs - also makes a return, though the latter sound a little different this time around. I continue to appreciate how intense the lows are and how they bring a little more Cannibal Corpse to an otherwise more melodic sound. Very much enjoying the drumming on this one.
What I Don't Like: Somebody get these guys the money to access some better studio equipment. This album has a solid enough sound, but I feel like it is still holding them back from their full sonic potential.
The Verdict: While I find myself yearning for more on the production side of this EP, I continue to enjoy this band's killer hooks and duplicitous vocals. Anyone like myself who is sickened by the more recent filth from once monolithic Gothenburg acts like In Flames should welcome The Hudson Horror into their lives and help them claim the throne. Glad to see them getting attention from big sites like Metal Injection.
Flight's Fav's: "Ruiner," "The Hunt," "Into The Crawling Chaos"