Lair of the Minotaur
War Metal Battle Master
Southern Lord
Chainmail is welcome, and encouraged
Wow. In what could very well be the greatest press release claim of the past year, Lair of the Minotaur’s third LP is apparently “a concept album about solving conflicts with a big fucking axe.” Not world peace, or something unduly intellectual given the brain capacity of those involved—we’re talking nothing but songs about solving conflicts with a big fucking axe.
And what a mighty axe Steven Rathbone wields (riff-wise, of course), guiding Chicago’s tightest Greek mythology students through yet another chug-fest, one that doesn’t come up for air until track four’s distortion-smeared fade-out. Things get really nasty after that, too, as “Black Viper Barbarian Clan” imagines a world overrun with bestial biker gangs. Or something of that sort—I can’t really tell what’s going on aside from a torrential downpour of thrash hooks and howling. Speaking of thrash metal that doesn’t involve shitty dudes in jean jackets, “Hades Unleashed” begins with a lurching, ominous melody, but quickly launches into three-and-a-half minutes of shifty tempos and suitable Slayer-isms. In other words, it’s easily one of the best songs in the Lair canon. Never mind the fact that Rathbone’s probably quoting a D&D module; if he can keep writing lead guitar lines this whiplash-inducing, the dude could sing about his grandmother and it wouldn’t matter.
Oh, by the way, this is the first Lair record without Pelican drummer Larry Herweg. Not that you’ll notice—Chris Wozniak is just as skilled at treating his drum kit like trash cans that must be killed. —Andrew Parks
