For me, hell is standing eternally in the middle of a plain. On one side, every mumble-rapper with “Lil” in his name is belting out garbage on Autotune. On the other side, we have phony cowboy hat guys calling themselves “Clay” and “Tucker” playing the horror that passes for modern country music on a loop. I cannot imagine a fate worse than this!

Which makes it a surprise that I actually like SPIRITWORLD, a band that started out playing “outlaw country” and then switched over to raging SLAYERized thrash metal with a spaghetti Western aura. I suspect that Stu Folsom, the lead singer and mastermind of the band, probably hates modern country as much as I do. I first encountered SPIRITWORLD with Deathwestern, which laid out some hellacious cowboy thrash. But boy, did these owlhoots like their SLAYER. Almost to the point of discomfort.

On Helldorado, they’re back on the range and the SLAYER riffs are still here, but this time, Stu and his gang venture into more country-tinged and atmospheric territory. And it works! It makes for a more interesting listen and the Southern/Country stuff breaks up the metal nicely. The lyrics are still full of hell, blood, booze, bullets and gritty Western cliches, so there’s that. The album really flies by in no time at all, leaving no chance for this to outstay its welcome.

‘Abilene Grime’ kicks open the saloon doors with a grimy cowboy boot, full of twang and vigor. Think of stuff like REV. HORTON HEAT. That segues nicely into the thrashing ‘No Vacancy In Heaven’ and if you liked Deathwestern, you’ll surely take a liking to this, pardnuh. ‘Western Stars And The Apocalypse’ hits even heavier, with Stu’s clear but angry roars living up to the title. Then we get the weird ‘Bird Song Of Death’, which twangs along like old EAGLES or maybe THE OUTLAWS. Not a ballad, but definitely a more country/Southern rock kind of track that boasts some MISFITS-like “WHOA-OH-OH”s.

‘Prayer Lips’ is a straight acoustic ballad with somewhat creepy whispered vocals…like something you’d hear in a ghost town. By this point, we know Helldorado is a horse of a different color. But ‘Waiting For The Reaper’ lays on the SLAYER riffs thick and heavy to remind you this is a metal album. ‘Oblivion’ is much the same and you can tell SPIRITWORLD are big fans of South Of Heaven and Seasons In The Abyss. ‘Cleansing’ is a weird, almost industrial soundscape that clears the way for the crushing ‘Stigmata Scars’, which for a change has more of an EXODUS like attack and roaring vocals. This little slice of hell winds up with the catchy, twangy ‘Annihilism’, which maybe comes the closest to a true country/metal crossover.

Helldorado to me is a more diverse and intriguing album than Deathwestern but admittedly it doesn’t have the same relentless aggression. For open-minded thrashers and country fans with balls, this comes recommended…hombre!
Review By: Dr. Abner Mality

SPIRITWORLD
Helldorado
Century Media