Superchrist

A band know that they’re playing in the right genre when a casual listener can say, "These guys sound like Motörhead and Iron Maiden commingling in some depraved manner” before even reaching the cover versions of Motörhead’s "Poison” and Iron Maiden’s "The Trooper.” To the appreciative ear, this means the band are spot-on and don’t fuck around, much like Chicago’s Superchrist. Factoring in a touch of Brain Drain-era Ramones is, well, a no-brainer for the guttural power trio high on straight shooting, albeit boozy, rock’n’roll as crammed through more Marshall stacks than at an early Van Halen concert. With their grimacing delivery and questionable production values, the majority of Back & Black has the dangerous aura of Dukes Of Nothing or later era Discharge: confrontational bikers channelling hatred through a lethal dose of boogie metal. Yes, it’s simplistic but so is a brick to the face. And it’s almost as brutal.