Primitive, yes primitive Metal. Doom or be doomed? No. Beg or SLOUGH FEG-ed, let's say. There's a band with an awkward name, bizarre cover artworks, weird lyrics themes and non-typical songwriting. Funny thing is there's nothing weird to all of the above-mentioned sayings; why? Dunno. Maybe the average metalhead has been alienated to more typical topics in everything Metal-related? Should we return to the primordial spine of Metal music? Here we are: SLOUGH FEG, Ape Uprising! and...
...THIN LIZZY, BLACK SABBATH, early JUDAS PRIEST/IRON MAIDEN, BROCAS HELM, MANILLA ROAD dressed in a Celtic/Folk/Irish pelt. Starting as THE LORD WEIRD SLOUGH FEG, this San Francisco-located quartet will not let you go that easily without crying out have mercy! or hell yeah!: one of he most own-identity Metal bands to emerge from the States the last two decades. Ape Uprising! is the band's seventh full-length album and let's say it is as intriguing as the rest of their discography. Or even more...
Did query listening to the crawling tempo of The Hunchback Of Notre Doom; not a typical opening act. Then thinking as if SF is a typical band it was not more than a dozen of minutes to stick to the new album's atmosphere. After a couple of auditions it was time for some comparisons to be made, specifically in relation to the Hardworlder predecessor. Equal dynamics, more convincing vocal lines, a boost in the riffs section, enough dawn-to-earth drumming, improved leads...A draft summary equals to a more interesting album in relation to the band's 2007 release. Still, fresh is the CD thus 'light wind' is the opinion. Moving backwards now...
The last two tracks of the album, Ape Outro and Nasty Hero, are - this time speaking - rather inspiring: the first one rolls like thunder and features some kick-ass guitar solo/leads while the latter is an in-your-face (with a 'back to the roots' intermezzo) mid-pace 70s Hard 'n' Heavy opus springing right out of the Metal well. White Cousin shows the Celtic/Folk side of SLOUGH FEG, in a traditional tempo/pattern while Shakedown At The Six is a fast taker with demonic lead themes and some how-the-hell-he-does-it varied vocal majesty by Mike Scalzi, uniting two golden decades of Metal in one (an IRON MAIDEN spark is seen here).
Simian Manifesto is as SLOUGH FEG as it gets; demanding, radical and primal; bang your head to the well with the ape outburst. Ape Uprising is a heavier than ever, at parts, and the band's guitar-spoken influences are quite obvious (the marching drums - not to forget - kill ahead!), making me wonder how wonderful it would be to listen to this song live. Overborne strikes hard in just something less than three minutes; a dark, narrative tune that is brightened with great lead leads/licks. The Hunchback Of Notre Doom - as pre-said - bears a dull mode (or this was just an early impression, not expecting this tune to act as the opener?) and seems to be the least prominent song off the whole album.
In a total of 37 minutes (who needs fillers?), there's nothing more - or less - to say: here's the new SLOUGH FEG album. In case you're already familiar with (and fond of) these Metal vagabonds, rest assured the recipe is the same and it's 100% healing (again). Being around for nearly 20 years and not falling 'off rail' is a good case. Ape Rising is (another) bait in order to fall in love(?) with archetypal Metal music.

P.S.: Again said: the guitars work is fuckin' excellent!