On the third full-length by the
Showdown, 2008's
Back Breaker, the fun-lovin' lads from Tennessee add some mythology to their metal, as each of the album's 11 tracks goes by two titles -- one that is straight out of Greek mythology, and another that is much more of the metal variety. Musically, the band still touches upon all the prerequisites of most up-and-coming metal bands roaming the earth circa the early 21st century --
Iron Maiden-like guitar bits,
Metallica's chug-chug riffery,
Pantera-esque shouted vocals, etc.
Back Breaker is one fierce beast from start to finish, especially on such brutal selections as
"[Hephaestus] The Hammer of the Gods," "[Achilles] The Backbreaker," and
"[Aries] I Am Vengeance." There may not be a lot to musically differentiate this quartet from the rest of the metal pack, but
Back Breaker does certainly succeed in capturing the roaring power of the
Showdown. ~ Greg Prato
