CD REVIEW: BLACK RHENO – Let’s Start A Cult EP

CD REVIEW: BLACK RHENO – Let’s Start A Cult EP
Independent
October 2016
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
7/10

Possessing – or perhaps possessed by – a grinding acid-gargle scream and battering ram drums, guitars of doom and an unexpected sense of humour, Black Rheno have delivered an EP which is part bar-room brawl in Hades, part drunken rant at anyone who will stand still long enough to listen.

No Time For Numb Nuts is bludgeoningly funny, whilst Lock The Gate features guitars full of stoner bottom end and growling malevolence. First World Bitches takes this reviewer back to the early days of black and speed (and therefore extreme) metal – when melody and rhythm and a sense of humour weren’t dirty words. Destruction Line shows this trio can play softer, almost ‘nice’ music when they want, before they escalate into Anthrax-like mayhem, and Rampage does exactly what it says on the tin.

I normally don’t go for shouty, growly metal any more, but something in Black Rheno strikes a chord and takes me back to the glory days of early ‘80s metal. Maybe it’s a sense that they’re not trying to be anything they’re not, or simply the ageless appeal of aggressive music combined with a touch of melody and a sense of fun.

To ice the cake, closing track Blah Blah Blah manages to inject their metal assault with a little bit of the DNA of Venom’s Aaaaarggh! AND Anti-Nowhere League’s So What, finishing on a fun and powerful note.

It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, of course – but I like it.

Category: CD Reviews