The fifteen years since first leaving Lucifer’s fires has not dampened the roar in the heart and throat of Transport League or the voracious swing in their feral enterprise, nor indeed the ravenous virulence of a sound which is always preying on new hellish flavours. The proof is all there in the viscera of their new album, A Million Volt Scream: a release which lures, embraces, and devours the senses with the greatest ravening intent yet from the Swedish outfit so that never has the well-established term upon the band’s music, Boogie From Hell, been more apt.
Emerging in 1994 Transport League embraced the sound of early Clutch with as they say “some hints of Cathedral and Corrosion of Conformity.” Swiftly it established its own ever evolving character and by the 2013 release of fifth album, Boogie From Hell, was the fuel to that enduring moniker. Even as the band has continued to explore new shades and avenues it has remained fitting to that declaration as shown by A Million Volt Scream. It is an encounter bred from a ferocious cauldron of mutually heavy metal and rock with just as healthy and hungry essences of punk, sludge, and alternative trespasses; infernal rock ‘n’ roll if you would.
A Million Volt Scream wasted no time with subtle persuasion, warning sirens allowing a moment to run away before its title track opener stalks with eager rhythmic instincts. That alone proves gripping bait but once the band’s renowned rapacious grooves uncage their swing, entanglement is inescapable. The track hits its stride with a devilish swagger, the vocals of guitarist Tony Jelencovich a masterful scowl within the unappeasable contagion. Rich imagination only adds to the temptation, the track’s Pantera meets Rob Zombie like breath twisted and ignited with industrial lined apocalyptic proclamation.
1200 Goddamned follows, the rhythms of drummer Mattias Starander again a potent and insatiable coaxing before the song uncages its full belly of riffs and grooves, the exploits of Jelencovich and lead guitarist Peter Hunyadi mercilessly infectious and invasive just as is the former’s great grungy tones. Even with its eager swing, there is a riveting predatory edge to the bass of Dennis Österdal, his lines threat and temptation together much as song and sound around them across the release.
Fair to say with ears and appetite already hooked both only found a lustier attention as next up Monster Human leered in and began stalking their ground. Its menacing bounce and mischievous sonic glints swiftly stole subservience, another Rob Zombie-esque swing this time merged with a Rammstein scented industrial intimidation only adding to the captivation before relief at the departure of its fiendishness is swiftly stolen by the dark deeds and drama of Dawn Of Lucifer. The band’s already multi-flavoured sound is stretched again as the track’s alternative metal breeding reveals the seed of bands similar to Faith No More, Dog Fashion Disco, and Mushroomhead though emerging as inimitable Transport League alchemy. Simply put though, as to be honest applying to all tracks within the album, it is inventively yet instinctively bred rabid rock ‘n’ roll and proved unapologetically irresistible.
Vultures is next up, the song immediately wrapping grooved sonic wires around the senses then manipulating them like a puppeteer to its own carnal swing. Carnivorous in every essence, viral with just as forceful a zeal, the track is another esurient stalking and a major contender for best track honours while Vanished Empire brings its own creative enmity to bear with dissonance carrying craft and again a strain of rabidity to offer its own imposing challenge.
Facedown Bondage might not quite have ignited the same heights of delirium but with its southern rock irritancy and contagion aligned to groove metal embroiled contention it too proved thick pleasure to breed greed for as too Slave In Orbit with its low slung stoner grooves and funk metal intimation. As with all tracks though, it is the perpetual current of imagination which adds the unpredictability and individuality that seals already done deals.
The final pair of Creature Grunts and Rabid Horizon leaves nothing to be desired as A Million Volt Scream departs as impressively as it began. The first is another song which sparks thoughts of Mike Patton and co at certain moments as it hungrily strolls, its severe catchiness spun with intoxicating grooves and rhythms which manage to simultaneously punish and seduce. The final track is basically a slab of untamed rock ‘n’ roll, a beast of intensity and motion which even the dearly departed could not prevent swinging their bones to.
Their sound is indeed boogie from the inferno below though such it’s and specifically the inescapable temptation of A Million Volt Scream it is hard to tell if Transport League work for the Devil or he dances to their tune.
A Million Volt Scream is out now via Mighty Music; available @ http://targetshop.dk/transport-league and https://targetgroup.bandcamp.com/album/a-million-volt-scream-2
https://www.facebook.com/transportleague/
Pete RingMaster 090/09/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
It is a stirring rousing start easily backed by the sonic tapestry that is Akardos. Classic metal lined progressive wiring initiates the temptation, a great slim but rich prowling gait emerging before those early hues inflame the melodic enterprise of Schramm and lead guitarist Aaron Vogelsberg. Darker, heavier shadows soon infest the contagion, the esurient beats of Sam Baw uniting with the magnetic pulsation and lure of Jules RoCkwell’s bass. New threads of sound and styles continue to be keenly woven into the magnetic web before Dark Valley takes over the enslaving of ears and appetite. There is a bedlamic edge to Schramm’s vocals which quickly captured the imagination, one which only escalates across the song as musically too it nurtures an anarchic pandemonium within its skilfully bred infestation; the result which is maybe something akin to Dog Fashion Disco and Mudvayne meets The New Jacobin Club but is truly unique to Sober Truth.
It is a resourceful and striking beginning only accentuated by next up He Who Finishes First Is Finished First. Leading with teasing guitar bait, the song swaggers in with eager rhythms and a vocal prowess which just made us want to get involved. It is simultaneously composed yet manic, every second a devious seed and ingredient to an adventure which swiftly got under the skin echoing those earlier mentioned clues to the Skulk, The Hulking adventure.
The following Brother Man warmly grabs ears next like a collusion of Ruts and 12 Stone Toddler; its stalking groove and melodic coaxing a delicious mix soon embracing a reggae and metal induced tempest in turn proceeding to entangle all earlier aspects within its similarly and seriously catchy landscape. The further into its depths the more deranged twists show their voracious enticements as too mellower melodic but no less certifiable essences. Thorough captivation, it is more than matched in aberrant adventure by Dead Duck Dock. The song also follows those before it by making a relatively gentle melody woven entrance but also one soon showing argumentative discord in sound and intensity as its groove metal instincts rise. With hues of Slipknot and Society 1 to its growl, the song is a roar of creative irritability and intrigue never resting for long in one flavour or mood.
It is a thumping start matched in quality and irresistibility by the psychotically cultured Ha Ha. Sonic and rhythmic stabs court vocal shenanigans from the start with heftier beats soon adding their instable intent to the quickly compelling mix. Slithers of jazz and groove metal flirt with avant-garde psychosis as the track grows and writhes as well as anthemically incites in equal measure before allowing Nothing the opportunity to prey on an already submissive appetite and imagination for the release. The song saunters along with flirtatious and intimidating hues to the fore, Lepokorpi like the ringleader in its midst as his narrative challenges and highlights the issues theming the magnetic proposal.
Formed in 2011 but really finding its creative mojo once the current line-up was in place a couple or so years later, the Lincolnshire band soon sparked a hungry and swiftly growing fan base for their dramatically addictive sound which reached its first pinnacle in the Hands Sewn Together EP. Live too, the band has grown to be one of Britain’s prime incitements, sharing stages with the likes of American Head Charge, Kindred, ESO, Breed 77, Sworn Amongst, Maplerun, Evil Scarecrow, and Bloodshot Dawn amongst many along the way. Linking up with EP producer Matt Hyde (Machine Head, Trivium, Fightstar, As I Lay Dying and Slipknot) again for The Root Of Man, the quintet of brothers Drew (drums/ programming) and Peter ‘Mr Clone’ Moore (vocals), Conor (guitar) and Liam Richardson (guitar), and Mike Bradbury (bass) are seemingly poised to set their place at the head table of the UK and indeed European metal scene.
It opens with Oxymoron 4991 and an initial tempting of electronic mist conjured by Uzzo punctured by a moment of distorted vocals. There is a portentous edge to that first coaxing, one which ripens as guitars and rhythms bring forth their own dark hues, though within a few more haunting moments a warmer light and energy erupts to change the shade of the song again. The guitars of Alex and Adriano are soon dancing and flirting with ears whilst still providing darker drama to the broadening sonic narrative of the track. Once fully into its infectious stride, attention and appetite are enslaved by the song, thoughts similarly bewitched as it proceeds to slip from spicy grooves and niggly hooks into mellow harmonies and avant-garde twists. The vocals of Riz provide variety to match the sounds too, clean croons and gnarly roars offered in numerous ways and backed well from elsewhere within the band. It is fair to say, as the album, the track took time and a few plays to really click in ears and emotions, but straight away had them fully enticed and wanting to delve deeper into its warped adventure.