Wednesday, September 16, 2020

ROT GUT LIKKER - Uncle Satan's Hayride To Hell review


ROT GUT LIKKER - Uncle Satan's Hayride To Hell

Self Released


Some years ago I described North Carolina's ROT GUT LIKKER as being like a crazed drunken metal dude wielding a broken whiskey bottle in your face while screaming "Hail Fuckin Satan"! That was in 2009 and after all these years the band has reformed. Well basically main man Chris Daugherty (guitar & vocals) gathered some like minded musicians around himself and pushed the re-start button on the band. 


This new release does step right after their debut, Uncle Satan's Straight Whiskey, from eleven years ago. If you're familiar with their debut, which I am, then the connection is obvious. Nothing has changed at all as far as song structures, themes and vocals. Something of note which I think is cool, Chris Daugherty's singing style has not lost an ounce of harshness. 


Musically if CORROSION OF CONFORMITY are the South's version of SABBATH, then ROT GUT LIKKER are our Southern Fried Blackened Thrash minus the generic tropes of the genre. Now I was surprised to hear a couple of great cuts re-done from their debut. For example, "Southern Justice" which I previously considered to be a blackened BLACKFOOT style number. It still packs a punch. They also resurrect "Grudge Fuck" as well as their opening intro "Stars and Bars Forever".


Their debut full length ended with an ambient Black Metalish instrumental. On here it follows suit with a similar outro. The only real surprise for me on this sophomore release was the song "Swamp Witch". It's this massively heavy as fuck song that doesn't roam into Southern sludge territory full bore. There's a touch but basically it's like a fuckin Southern Metal anthem. If anything there's a cool doom edge to it. Aside from the classics redone from their first album, "Swamp Witch" is definitely my favorite cut on here. 


As far as the rest of the release goes it's territory similar to their first album, with similar riffs. "Whatever Suits You" is definitely a cool tune. There's also an instrumental as well as a song with a ZZ TOP riff, borrowed of course. In the end this is all about some Southern Shreditizations for Satan. The more I listen to the new stuff the more I'm loving this. I believe this is one of the better releases of 2020. 


HAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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LISTEN HERE:

https://www.reverbnation.com/rotgutlikker/songs




 

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