So you're looking for a metal band without all the "sword and sorcery" imagery, and a punk band whose members aren't mostly interested in how well they put on their mascara, eh? Well, you're in luck -- the Toronto-based quartet
Cancer Bats fits both of these descriptions. Their 2008 release,
Hail Destroyer, also proves that the group has learned well from its influences -- namely
Refused,
Black Flag,
Down, and
Black Sabbath. In other words, you get punk tunes with a metallic crunch or metal tunes with the speed rush of punk, especially on such standouts as the album-opening title track, "Regret," and "PMA 'Til I'm DOA," among others. Also, the group even throws in a few ditties that could be classified as "Southern metal," especially "Bastard's Waltz." In addition to all the slamming guitar riffs and power chords, frontman
Liam Cormier sounds comparable to
Zack de la Rocha -- if the
Rage Against the Machine frontman replaced the rapping with hollering, that is.
Hail Destroyer is certainly a hard-hitting release from start to finish. ~ Greg Prato