Grab on to the closest steady thing because now it will be a rough ride. This just under 40 minutes long album "The Animal Spirits" from one of the Metal Scene's oddest outfits strikes hard. Guess it will even kill you if you're not aware of what SLOGH FEG is so beware. Ok, not really but the ones who doesn't know is in for a surprise at least. High energy, straight forward Metal, that's what it is really. The more folksy rhythms have almost been washed away completely. They just shine through on a few occasions, in the more mellow parts. Even if the recipe is pretty basic for Heavy Metal music SLOUGH FEG doesn't really sound like any other band. One thing that strengthens that impression even more is Mike Scalzi's very characteristic and truly unique voice. On stage this band was both one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen and one of the absolute best too. Even if their hysteric energy doesn't really come through all the way on album as it does live they're still a real smack in the face. You'll be damned to wake up FAST if putting this one in the stereo too early.

Compared to the previous two albums, "Ape Uprising" and "Hardworlder", "The Animal Spirits" feels more straight forward, more basic Rock'N'Roll, sort of more basic songwriting. At first I thought the album felt a little flat and something I've heard before already. That's a hard one, sure it sounds a lot like SLOUGH FEG always does and yes, it's not as complex as the older ones but this is a band I wouldn't want to change for the world. They have their own style and sound.

One thing I wonder though, just less than 40 minutes for a full length isn't much and initial "Trick The Vicar" is not even two minutes long. The intensity in the song is immense, that makes it a perfect start of the album and despite the length it feels complete and very typical SLOUGH FEG. Another favorite, "Free Market Barbarian" is more midtempo song which is the strongest of its kind on the record. By no means are other songs weak but they are very much standard. Thus this album gives the impression of being plain, compared to other bands that are not the case. Compared to this band yes, a bit!

But that's not all. I shouldn't have been surprised that "The Animal Spirits" in the end anyhow became a great album. The last three songs of it are amazing, "Kon-Tiki" really shows SLOUGH FEG on top, the great melodies and more knobby groove but it still feels flowing and very natural. Second to last, "Second Coming" is more laid back (if something can be called that, or mellow for that sake with this band) and less Heavy Metal, the guitar is prominent over the vocals. And then, just as hysteric as the album started, it's finished off with a really raw song "Tactical Air War". BROCAS HELM came to mind as soon as the song started. I doubt there's a co-incidence the track features Bob Wright from the same band. Amazing really!

I doubt this album will convert the ones who know what this is all about, I don't think SLOUGH FEG will loose any fans with this records. But I do think people that liked it before but didn't really get stuck, for those this one can be a turn around.