Rating: 8 / 10 Stars
SKELATOR is: Jason Conde-Houston (vocals), Rob Steinway (guitar), Robbie Houston (guitar), Leona Hayward (bass), Patrick Seick (drums)
REVIEW – Hot off the heels of 2019’s Cyber Metal, Seattle’s SKELATOR emerge with the ‘Blood Empire – EP‘ to tide fans over before their next full-length — a four-song journey that captures the band at their epic and thrashing best. The EP will be available on 12″ vinyl format, as well as digitally.
SKELATOR’s 2019 Cyber Metal opus found the Seattle thrashers pushing their musical and lyrical elements to the outer limits. The eight-song outing was SKELATOR at their unapologetic best, featuring marauding NWOBHM-inspired guitar lines and a detailed concept from the mind of vocalist Jason Conde-Houston that was a clinic on sci-fi and 1980s movie worship. Their first album on Gates of Hell Records left an immediate impression on denizens across the metal globe who wondered where the band would head next. The answer is the ‘Blood Empire – EP‘, a four-song platter that marries SKELATOR’s penchant for both epic and punctuating thrash numbers.
The EP was largely a DIY effort. Recorded in September and October 2021 at the band’s rehearsal studio and home studios, SKELATOR benefitted from the production skills of guitarist Robbie Houston, who mixed the album. (Collin Jordan of The Boiler Room Mastering handled mastering duties.) Houston tracked Patrick Seick’s drums and Conde-Houston’s vocals while leaving fellow guitarist Rob Steinway and bassist Leona Hayward to record on their own. The album’s dense and layered approach would almost belie SKELATOR’s recording tactics, but layer by layer, part by part, the ‘Blood Empire – EP‘ came together as a fully-realized work that captures the complexity and depth of SKELATOR’s music.
The ‘Blood Empire – EP‘ has two massive tracks, “Good Day to Die” and “The First Empire,” as well as two thrashing tracks, “Deeds of Honor” and “Bloodwine.”
The opening track “Deeds Of Honor” has crushing guitars, powerful rhythms, and forceful vocals that will make the listener want to thrash until they collapse. “Good Day to Die,” the second track, is massive with its chugging rhythms, hammering percussion, thunderous bass, crunchy riffs, and scorching leads. The third track, “The First Empire,” is a harsh and powerful thrash metal adventure with a rapid pace. “Bloodwine” is a ferocious thrashing shredding track that culminates the ‘Blood Empire – EP‘ by SKELATOR.
The song sequence lends the EP to a cinematic feel that acts as a voyage through Conde-Houston’s Trek Klingon mythology narrative. It marks the beginning of “The Kahless Trilogy,” which will record the numerous exploits Kahless performed to make his kingdom a reality, and corresponds to the cover image made by Max Nazaryan, which depicts Kahless having his ultimate battle with his brother Morath atop a volcano.
For more information on SKELATOR, visit:
www.Facebook.com/TrueSkelator
www.Instagram.com/TrueSkelatorBand