Having lived on the continental United States' Northern Plains, I can attest that the sometimes desolate openness, home to a myriad of extremes and contradictions, can lend itself quite readily as a backdrop for metal bands, particularly purveyors of the genre's more aggressive forms. I offer as proof SHOTGUN FACELIFT out of Grand Forks, ND (USA). On "Dakota Blood Stampede" (due out December 17, 2021), SHOTGUN FACELIFT explores its relationship to the Dakotas; how it's shaped them and the music that they make. And the music that SHOTGUN FACELIFT make on "Dakota Blood Stampede," which was tracked live so the listener gets the full effect, is a brutally relentless, full-tilt onslaught of sound spawned by the New Wave of American Heavy Metal.

The album starts with no preamble, the opener "I Am" blasting from the jump. It quickly settles into a nice groove, the song then gradually becoming darkly urgent; an effect reinforced by the track's downtempo shift after the half way mark. John Huber's vocals give "I Am" (and every other song for that matter) an edge predicated on visceral emotion and real-world immediacy. When Huber growls "A North Dakota darkness with no light" on "I Am," I felt and understood it (and not just because I know how literally and figuratively dark it can get in The Peace Garden State). Perhaps one of the elements most interesting on "I Am," especially considering that the track was recorded live, is the outro; the instruments incrementally winding down as if they are the individual parts of an oil-depleted engine slowly seizing up (trust me, you need to hear it!).

"Famine" has a bit of a thrash sensibility, its tempo changes hooky. At about the midpoint, SHOGUN FACELIFT unleash a "sit-up-and-take-notice" groove. Damian Goulet has more of guitar solo on "Famine" than on "I Am," albeit too brief for my liking in that what he lays down is pretty damn good. But that seems to be the hallmark of Goulet's soloing, he never overstays his welcome or goes over the top; realizing less can be better, especially if that's what's called for by the context of a song.

"Bury Me" features an energetically powerful groove. The guitar bridges are simple, but effective. Goulet's solo is, once again, sensibly melodic.

Any song in which the first words out of the singer's mouth are "Get fucked" throws down, in no uncertain terms, the gauntlet of high metal expectations. "5 Dollar Bastard" delivers. Jody Smith's solid drum intro gets the track, which has a thrashy rhythm line, off to the right start. Smith's playing isn't this number's only highlight; the really cool guitar line running through the dense melody also deserving mention.

 "Mark Of Cain" is a muscular song featuring flawlessly executed tempo shifts. I don't know how exactly Curt DeCamp played the bass intro and outro for "Dakota Blood Stampede," but the sound was so intriguing I'd love to see it done. The song is filled with righteous anger and indignation, the tremendous melodies more than helping Huber convey his social commentary. This is another track that speaks to me, putting into words and music many of the thoughts and feelings I've had since 2016 (and I'll leave it at that).

"Suicide Eyes" is cleaner, not as sludgy as those songs preceding it on the album. As one would expect of a track so titled, "Suicide Eyes" has a forlorn, anguished tonality. The song's intensity is shifting, variously building up and backing off. At about the three-quarter mark the tempo picks up before the song ends in a storm of feedback that perfectly suits the emotion conveyed.

The pensive "Pull The Trigger" is yet another track that hits hard from the start. Its dense melodic foundation is established by SHOTGUN FACELIFT's tight rhythm section; guitarist Matt Person doing yeoman work. "Open Place To Bleed" is an uptempo track made all the more interesting by its seamless tempo transitions. "From The Dirt" maintains the intensity heard over the course of the album. Goulet is given a little more room to solo, producing a piece that is tunefully soulful.

SHOTGUN FACELIFT's intent with "Dakota Blood Stampede" was to make an album that was real, nasty, loud; a collection of tunes the listener would believe and feel. I'm pleased to report they have more than succeeded. "Dakota Blood Stampede" is emotionally real on all levels; musically, vocally, and lyrically. SHOTGUN FACELIFT pull no punches, they not only pound out melodies and rhythms like a proverbial brick shit hammer, but also execute the small, necessary details with fret hammer exactitude. "Dakota Blood Stampede" is an album of mature, brutally contemplative metal that shouldn't be missed.