The power of the riff is alive and well in 2018 and Birnam Wood’s latest slab of sonic supremacy is all the proof in the pudding you need. On their latest, Wicked Worlds, the MA purveyors of heavy awesomesauce move and groove in ways that will astound and confound so hold onto yer butts as it’s bound to be a bumpy ride!
They even have a song called “Richard Dreyfuss” (Complete with “What About Bob?” samples) for chrissakes! And it’s the opener (After the quick rollicking wallop from “Time of Purification, that is)! You know this is gonna be fun! Exclamation!
“Dunsinane” is the shiznit (Do the kids still use that term?) and follows the flow beautifully on a track that powers through thanks in part to the stellar skin bashing from Adam McGrath while Dylan Edwards and Shaun Anzalon’s dual and dueling guitars create a heavy metal maelstrom.
“Early Warning” is precisely that…except that it lies smack dab in the middle of this heavy ass opus of amazing (So more like a “late warning”) with Anzalone’s impassioned cries breaking through another massive wall of sound. “Greenseer” is like a lost Melvins jam mashed up with The Sword until these lovely shreds come in to absolutely transform the song into its’ own incomparable monster.
Matt Wagner’s low tones almost steal the show on “A Song for Jorklum” until the fuzzed out grooves of Edwards and Anzalone chime in alongside McGrath’s delightful drumming culminating in a glorious jam sesh and further confirmation that nothing stops the BW machine from churning out the good stuff! “Return to Samakand” is like a missing Alice In Chains gem with these hypnotic vocals leading the song into a psychedelic funhouse that bristles with a fiery intensity (Even WITH the flute solo) until an equally hypnotic guitar line takes hold and leads listeners off into the abyss.
Wicked Worlds is out on November 19th with a record release show following at O’Brien’s in Allston on the 23rd. For your very own copy of the new record, head here. And for the total package, meaning that record release shindig, grab yer tickets in advance here then click over here for more about the unstoppable Birnam Wood.