RESTLESS SPIRIT came up old school, the way it should be done; dropping three EPs, tweaking and molding its sound so that by the time an album was even conceived, founding members Marc Morello [bass] and Paul Aloisio [vox, guitars] had at least a general idea of what they were going for. Can’t hurt that they’d known one another for practically their entire time on this rotting planet, so their musical language was inspired by decades of hailing favorites and mocking the “shitty” albums in each other’s collections. Enter drummer Jon Gusman, just in time for 2021’s Blood Of The Old Gods, and the trident was formed.
And now, five years and two albums later, RESTLESS SPIRIT attempts to craft an album worthy of naming after itself, a bold step in any band’s journey. Sawtooth and gnashing from the first match strike, ‘The Burning Need’ embodies the vibe of other great opening tracks such as GRAND MAGUS’ ‘Kingslayer’ [Wolf’s Return, 2005] and ‘Suffer In Life’ by KING WITCH [III, 2025]. There’s nothing overly progressive, nothing at all “precious” in what the threesome is putting forth here, ‘Hallowed’ and ‘Red In Tooth And Claw’ keeping the momentum at all times forward, hearts exposed, and skin drenched in sweat and lifeblood, Gusman’s drum salvo swinging like Bonham on ‘When The Levee Breaks’, Carmine Appice on – well, anything the man’s ever smashed skins on.
‘Desolation’s Wake’ is feedback-drenched ferocity, as close to punk as we’ve heard Aloisio & Co., the bass chug of Marc Morello sending us hurtling down the tracks but never losing focus or force, Aloisio’s vocal attack if anything stronger than ever. Ending Restless Spirit, ‘Phantom Pain’ covers blues, jazz-tinged, SABBATH drone ala ‘Planet Caravan’ and latter day, more rough-around-the-edges CANDLEMASS over the course of its nearly nine minutes, not a second wasted or to spare, perfectly capping this complete monster of an album.
What we have with RESTLESS SPIRIT’s fourth is an album deserving of its name, its place in metal’s history books, and what it took to get the band to this point. Gusman’s drumming on Restless Spirit will be retold in legend, mark my words.
Review By: Lord Randall
RESTLESS SPIRIT
Restless Spirit
Magnetic Eye Records