REVIEW: Posthumous Resurrection - a glorious return from Master Charger
Amongst the finest, doomiest power trios to come out of Nottinghamshire are Master Charger, who return this week with their first full length since Origin of the Lugubrious from the summer of 2020, following on from 2023's ripping Social Witch Hunt single. Posthumous Resurrection picks up where they'd left off, following in the footsteps of the 70s heavy rock/heavy blues overlords that built the path to stoner, doom and sludge, with low-tuned vintage riffs and an almighty fuzzy heaviness that threatens to crush your skull.
A swirling, crashing drum intro sees in Thy Kingdom Polluted, a doom n' groove rager. It's led by a cool, nostalgic lead guitar lick early on, nodding to the greats of psychedelic music, before the band settle into a sludgy rager. John James' throat-shredding vocals carry his trademark intense grit before a guitar solo drenched in wah takes over nearer to the end. It's a powerful way to start the album ahead of the slightly Melvins-y Only My Eyes See, Empires Rust, which shows off a few tasty drum fills from Jon Kirk behind the kit. It grinds away ahead of a switch up in rhythm and the injection of some classic stoner rock energy to let the song flow nicely.
The ten-minute title track is a doom epic, opened with some ominous chords offering a bit of an Electric Wizard-type feel. Its powerfully heavy verses underline why it's the track that the record was to be named after, acting as the centrepiece for the whole listening experience. A psychedelic interlude around the halfway mark introduces some light and shade before it builds satisfyingly into a towering finale. 'Where have we gone?' roars John, his voice carrying the weight as if he was lamenting the end of the world. This song is a crushing highlight for any disciples of doom metal, taking all the time it needs to deliver so the impact is as forceful as it can possibly be.
The album needs a breather after a song like that, and Fallen Angel, Painted Doll does just that. A gentle acoustic interlude, its first half reminds me of Fluff from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, before going into a decidedly American feel, with harmonicas and slide guitars evoking a warm day in the Deep South with the sun bearing down on you. Very nicely placed from Master Charger. Pre-release single When Hell Rode In is up next, following with a hazy wah-led riff. Its driving stoner rock verses from the Orange Goblin playbook swap with a heavy, sludgy chorus. Master Charger break up the song's structure with a simple but clever descending musical idea ahead of its spacey ending that draws the song to a close. It's another album highlight and makes sense why the band would use this song to tease the album before its release.
Head Into The Sun keeps it going with a stoner groove, energetic riffs and some thudding double bass from Jon Kirk, one of the record's more vicious-sounding numbers. Its low tuned riffs demonstrate the sonic power of Dave Hayes' bass nicely. Mass Produced, Mass Destroyed, another single, then gets the listener's head nodding immediately with a descending guitar riff with a tone as thick as treacle. It's got a distinctively vintage flavour to it and is one of my favourites from the whole record. Settling into an aggressive verse, they bring the first riff back towards the end with a slightly different rhythm. Structurally, it's cleverly thought out, effectively serving as the end of the album proper. One last, simple, hazy groove from the band ends with just drums - back to where we'd started with the record. It's a super cool way to bookend proceedings.
At its very end, Upon Roads Less Travelled is a contemplative epilogue for the album, with acoustic guitars and pianos giving a soft, Baroness-style instrumental to end on a moment of reflection. So, what to reflect upon for this full-length effort from Master Charger? They hold their Sabbathy influences together that combine stoner, doom, heavy blues and sludge at different times with a constant sense of groove. Sometimes it's hazy, sometimes it's a bit more gritty, but it always feels like no one but themselves.
All members shine, with Dave Hayes showing what he's capable of with some tasteful bass fills in the title track and Mass Produced..., while Jon Kirk - recently announced to be leaving the band - knows when to thud away with powerful double bass drumming to make a song sound even heavier. Master Charger are comfortable switching up the rhythms to add interest, and John James of course leads the pack convincingly with strong vocals, killer riffs and vintage leads.
Time will tell what the album does for the band. But for now, it's a heavy, thick, grinding monster of a record that needs to be listened to again and again!
Another great effort from one of the gems of the UK scene.
Posthumous Resurrection releases on Argonauta Records today
MN
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