Review
Nails
Abandon All Life

The only reason Metallica is supposedly used as a torture tactic in Guantanamo is because the C.I.A. doesn't know about Nails. I mean that to sound neither glib nor uncomplimentary - there's a cruel relentlessness to Nails that I and other fans of extreme music will most certainly appreciate, but, and I'll avoid the arrogant use of the term understanding here, anyone outside the realm of expectation would surely regard as an assault. 

You see, with music reviews, it is the job of the writer to come up with sufficient enough descriptives to have the reader then be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not they want to:

a) buy the album in question
b) download it illegally
c) not waste time doing either

The descriptives used are commonly genre-related, but when it comes to a band like Nails, those buzzwords are irrelevant, as the word that could best be used best to describe them is vicious. 

Look up the definition of the word and you'll find that every synonym listed is also valid. Savage, brutal, ruthless - all applicable.

The band's previous effort, Unsilent Death was somewhat more raw and immediate, but Abandon All Life is more layered, more textured and with a few tempo changes to allow the listener to take a breath every once in a while. 

The pictures painted inside the music of Abandon All Life aren't pleasant ones, but don't mistake them for any hate-by-numbers wannabes. Nails are the real deal. 

Structurally, the songs remain relatively the same. That is to say, short, sharp, in a hardcore vein, but the riffs have an attention to detail that is difficult to find in other bands of their ilk. 

I'm very hesitant to use the term, but there's more of a metal sound to this one. Maybe it's because the album was produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge or maybe it's just the way the band decided to lean this time around. After all, the Unsilent Death album cover bore more than a passing resemblance to Hellhammer's Triumph of Death demo, should we be surprised if we hear a little bit of their influence in the tunes?

Bottom line, Nails has given us another strong entry - Abandon All Life is yet another jewel in Southern Lord's ever growing crown (of thorns).