Courtesy of impressive debut album, Save My Soul, there has been widespread and keen anticipation for a successor, especially in recent months with the news of one’s impending release. Now Norwegian rockers SIBERIAN TUSK are poised to uncage the roar of Reapers By Trade and we can only assume like ours, waiting jaws of excitement will soon be greedily chomping.
Reapers By Trade is a beast of a proposition, the band’s fusion of punk and stoner rock more voracious and imposing than ever before yet just as compellingly more adventurous which is aligned to sonically seductive enterprise. Evolution in the band’s music has been a constant since their first days, SIBERIAN TUSK emerging through the creativity and hunger of three members of the inactive and soon to be demised stoners Traktor; a project truly stepping into spotlights in 2016 with debut EP, Mammuthus Subplanifrons.
Following another eagerly received EP, first album Save My Soul was an ear and acclaim grabbing proposal in 2020 but now just an ear grabbing moment in the journey to the dexterous rock ‘n’ roll animal that is Reapers By Trade. Across its body of songs, riffs gnaw and rhythms bite, a trespass as enlivening as it is formidable, yet equally grooves share rich intoxication as melodic tempting flares. It all makes for a record which had us hooked from the off but with greater lust thereon in through its cunning twists and flirtatious turns.
From its first moments the album and the foursome of vocalist/guitarist Begil, vocalist/bassist Inge Morten, guitarist Kent Rune and drummer René had claws into our rock and punk instincts through outstanding opener Rich & Poor. From a distance it brews its intent, mists of disturbance assuming mass before a stride of grooves and incitement of riffs thrust forth. Similarly rhythms swing impactful incitement upon the senses with just as potent vocals soon in the tempest of persuasion. Inherently infectious with more than a hint of animosity and violence in its attack, the track is a superb start to the album; a fusion of groove metal toxins, stoner trespass and punk ‘n’ roll voracity quickly devoured
The following Goes Around swiftly bears the rich flavouring to the release, its initial lures hard rock bred with just as quickly vocal and musical catchiness revealing an alternative rock nurturing. Almost as swiftly grooved tendrils erupt and wrap song and ears alike, the track as compelling and striking as its predecessor and indeed successor Desert Sun. Predacious in its breath, salacious in its touch, the third track is equally wily in its less intrusive melodic tempting but with a tempestuousness always carried by breath and intimation.
From its grievously gnarly basslines to its sweltering melodic flames, Fucked Up provided instinctive captivation, the song a pyre of sound and craft which simultaneously scorched and seduced the senses before Hung Over shared its plaintive contemplation amid intoxicating liquor of grooves. The song is another intensely engaging slice of the feral yet skilled rock ‘n’ roll the band are so adept at unleashing from within, this a blues tinged offering with that hue even more pronounced and openly supped upon by ears in the next up Reaper Blues. There is certain if undefined familiarity to the track but an essence which only escalated its persuasion on our pleasure.
Through its opening shimmering lights, Truth Be Told showed itself an ear holding saunter through an effortlessly infectious landscape yet one with eddies of tempestuousness and unpredictable drama while Two Fast Uppercuts prowled and stalked the listener with irritable intent and anguished resignation; all the while casting webs of temptation and sonic causticity. Both songs if not quite inflaming the senses as those before easily gripped and ignited the imagination with Eternal Bliss chewing on both and lustful enjoyment with its carnally borne rock ‘n’ roll. It is a bear of a track, a bruising and invasive encounter which just as forcibly had limbs swinging and neck muscles aching, the track standing side by side with the opening trio as our favourite peaks of the impressive release.
With Word to the Wise providing a just as striking and thrilling conclusion to the album, a predator of a song with guile and deviousness in its eruptions of melodic catchiness across barbarous intent, Reapers By Trade left us chewing on pleasure and a hunger for more. SIBERIAN TUSK just gets bigger, bolder and more barbarous in their craft and enterprise by the record and as their new animal of creativity proves, more demanding on the keenest attention.
Reapers By Trade is released on CD and digitally on April 29th via Hidden Noise Records with a vinyl release planned for early September; available @ https://siberiantusk.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SiberianTusk
Pete RingMaster 28/04/2022
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Categories: Music
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