SUPERHEAVYGOATASS
60,000 Years (Arclight)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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With a heavy metal sound so heavy on the heavy they were actually entitled to use the words "Super" and "Heavy" in their name (but let's not dwell on the "goatass" half too much), Superheavygoatass is here to assist in the banging of your head and the blowing of your speakers. Whether the Sabbath influence is second-hand or direct, it's obvious as hell and often damned entertaining. How many times have you heard a band with an obvious Sabbath addiction but they just couldn't get it up? No such problem here. Not to say there are no problems here, however. Sometimes they get an idea going and obviously fall far too deeply in love with it, pounding it out over and over for no real reason before finally going for the obligatory timing change. The timing changes are aces, but those parts would be much more effective if we only heard them for about four bars. It's the difference between "Well THAT was cool" and "Thank God THAT'S over." My other complaint will probably sell a few hundred units. Personally, I'm bored to tears with the whole "Satan is my Master" thing, and these guys trot that tired old thing out, but that sure doesn't put them in the minority. Those complaints aside, I have to say this is a powerful album with a wonderfully dark vibe. It sounds a lot like Danzig singing in key and fronting Masters of Reality-era Sabbath, something that shouldn't be hard to imagine. The dual-guitar front line of Russell Abbott and Derek Halfmann generates some vicious vintage distortion and cleverly integrated rhythm work, best exemplified on "Built To Last," where they play the same chords in the same neck position, but stagger the timing so each is hitting strings on different beats. That fires the song into motion, and you can't help but get caught up in the energy of it. Derivative? Yes, but so is nearly everyone in this genre today. Go with the ones who make something of it.

© 2005 - DJ Johnson