Formed in Whitehorse in 2008, Bushwhacker began with four high school friends that shared a love of old-school thrash metal. They released their self-titled debut in July 2011 and followed it with a tour through BC and Alberta that ended in Vancouver, where they remain to this day. After some line-up changes and EP's, in 2014 the band entered Rain City Recorders in Vancouver to record The False Dilemma. While I initally was (unfairly) put off by their band name, this album has once more proven that Romeo was correct in his position on not judging things so.
Bushwhacker is a massively talented group of musicians that can play a variety of different styles. "Tower," the colossal opening track, features thrashy riffing and intense vocals that would fit in perfectly on a recent Lamb of God record. Guitar hooks have a similar tone and the trademark cyclical-sounding hooks, and the drumming keeps up an incredible pace. But to judge the album on this track alone would be foolish. The following interlude, as well as tracks like "A Path" and "The Return" are much more grounded in a post-metal aesthetic.
The latter track actually became a fast favorite despite lacking the grit and variety of proggier, Mastodonish tracks like "Dead Man's Waltz" and "Perfection." Rather, Bushwhacker take their time here to show a sludgier side that is more on par with Minsk or even Tool. The production is weighed down by perfect levels of reverb with repetetitious riffs that first sound like braving stormy waves, and then later dive deeper under the water. The awesome solo towards the end furthers this effect with an emotive quality ripe for a deep-sea video interpretation. Clean, stoner-y vocals cap this track off to make it a very engaging experience.
Saving the best for last, I feel the drumming here deserves its own paragraph. Holy Neil Pearts, Batman; this guy is an animal. It is something that is so impossible to ignore that every time I listen, my fingers are compelled as if by some spirit to tap out the ever-changing rhythms. His style matches the variety of Rush with the intensity and speed of Chris Adler. There's an almost tribal element to the snare hits that, when matched with the rest of the music, also brought me back to comparisons with Sadist's Hyaena. I want to buy him a bigger kit just to feel like maybe it would start to be a challenge for him.
By the time "A Path" rolls into the band's namesake track, one can confirm that they just listened to something truly special. Again, I went into this (especially after that odd soundclip intro) expecting very little, but I left with another new name to follow. I may have initially stifled a giggle at the name "Bushwhacker," but like the otherwise unimpressive-looking Will Hunting in a bar full of Ivey-leaguers, they shut me the f#$k up real quick with a surprising amount of skill. The album came out this Saturday and is streaming below.