The Showdown - Blood In The Gears

Artist: The Showdown
Album: Blood In The Gears
Release Date: 8/24/10
Label: Solid State Records

The Showdown have officially "arrived". Their newest effort Blood In The Gears is a mix of everything that worked on both Temptation Come My Way and Back Breaker, but without the filler and some added elements that have never been utilized by the band to this point.

From start to finish, this album is amazing. There is not a filler track in the bunch. For the most part, every song uses a growled verse and sung chorus, but these vocals, provided by David Bunton, are by no means whiny or soft, but in contrast have a dirty grit to them.

To choose album highlights would be a very difficult thing to do, since every track has been crafted so well, so I'm going to focus on the tracks that contain elements that were thoroughly unexpected. "Bring It Down" is a hundred percent unadulterated ride through speedy thrash metal. This track is so fast that has an almost thrash/punk sound in the drumming. It was great to hear The Showdown finally tackle this style of metal.

"Dogma Enthroned" is by far the heaviest song The Showdown have done since A Chorus Of Obliteration. It even has some low death metal grunts in places. Another highlight of the song is the Demon Hunter style vocals in the chorus. The album's closer "Diggin' My Own Grave" is a great choice for a closing track. It starts out as a ballad before exploding into a wall of guitars and becoming a great Southern rock song.

Rating: 9/10 Blood In The Gears in this reviewer's opinion is by far the best and most complete album that The Showdown have released. Fans of all their previous albums will find something to like here. Thankfully, The Showdown have learned how to balance their Southern roots with their shredding, more aggressive metal side. Blood In The Gears has become their Magnum Opus.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:

1. The Man Named Hell
2. Heavy Lies The Crown
3. Bring It Down
4. Take Me Home
5. Blood In The Gears
6. Dogma Enthroned
7. No Escape
8. The Crooked Path
9. Graveyard Of Empires
10. Diggin' My Own Grave

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