Thunderbrew – Red, White & Brew

Beer Metal Publishing (USA)
Produced by Thunderbrew/Nick Rotundo

Second album from the as-yet unsigned American quartet of Daran Amos (Vocals and Lead Guitar), Bob Beird (Bass), Rick Land (Lead Guitar) and new drummer Daniel J. Kwasizur. It’s been two years since the bands debut Red Death, and those two years of experience and playing can be clearly be heard on Red, White And Brew. That’s not to say there was anything wrong with then first album, or that they sound like a completely different band on the new one, just that they sound even more accomplished now.

The brutal riffs are still there, but with a clearer production, they sound even more razor sharp than before. All in all, everything sounds cleaner and clearer, from the vocals and rhythm guitar work to the pounding drumming and bass. But this time, more so than ever before, the lead guitar work from both guitarists is exquisite.

Anyone who likes riff driven rock and roll with clean but throaty vocals (I can’t put my finger on it, but I’m thinking Spiritual Beggars at the moment) is in for a treat. And with the first record, that’s clearly where the guys lay. But no more. They’ve transcended that. The glaring influence on the band is obviously the legendary Zakk Wylde. The guys are known to be huge fans of Zakk and his Black Label Society, and it shows in their music. The first album could have been a BLS record, just with a different singer. However, take those brutal riffs and that same raw rock ‘n’ roll feel, apply clearer production and shed loads of Dream Theater (bear with me), and you have the new, improved Thunderbrew sound. Now, while Daran ain’t gonna be letting loose any James La Brie top-of-the-lungs screams any time soon, Portnoy, Myung and Petrucci would have a challenge on their hands to produce some tunes like these. We’re talking some serious prog-metal tendencies here.

All the evidence you’ll ever need is captured in the largely instrumental track Down The Hatch II (yes, a sequel to Down The Hatch from the first record). Riff after riff after riff, solo after solo after solo, drum fill after drum fill etc etc. All different, all interesting, all stunning. Actually, throughout the entire record you can hear the prog tendencies. Sweeping shifts in timing and style make this record quite a listen. So, there’s the instrumentation for you. And the lead playing itself? Well, suffice to say if Zakk himself produced an album with solos of this quality and variety, no one would ever complain of stagnation again. Blisteringly fast one minute and wonderfully expressive the next, there is some serious playing on this record.

It’s not all heaviness from start to finish though. The brilliant Happy Hour demonstrates a wonderful mellower side to the band, with great singing and wonderful lead playing later on. Then the funny part comes with album closer Holiday (Redneck Re-Mix), which is a redneck country re-recording of Holiday from the first record. Just to show they can play several styles.

Check out World of H8 for some great shifts in riffage and some bass playing with serious feeling and groove, Black Sheep and Boneyard for some straight ahead heavy rocking and the sublime Down The Hatch II for perfect examples of everything that makes quality rock music. These guys should be making the next BLS record.

“ even more accomplished ”

Tracklist: Boneyard / World of H8 / Black Sheep / Freezerburn / Happy Hour / Cold Beer Caprice No.7 In C Minor / Down The Hatch II / Temporary Saint / Yesteryear / Holiday (Redneck Re-Mix)

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Southern, Thunderbrew