There are things that should not go together but some how, despite all odds, work: Peanut Butter and Jelly, French Fries and Milkshake, Chicken and Waffles, Deep fried things that should not be deep fried (God bless America!) , the list goes on. But one element added to metal can that should not work but somehow does every time I hear it, is the banjo.  The deep south twangy instrument, often associated with backwoods butt rape should not ever be in metal. But as Taake somehow proved on “Myr” a few year ago- it somehow can work, even in black metal.

Well let me introduce you to Andreas Schüßler and his long running project No One Gets Out Alive, his backwoods, Deliverance horror themed slam death metal projec,t that uses the fuck outta the banjo. And somehow, goddammit it works and does not come acres as a mere gimmick.

Of course with latter theme of Schüßler ‘s 8 albums being redneck, hillbilly horror and such with titles like “Redneck Folter Horror”, “Cannibal Farm”, “You’ll Never Leave the Mountains”, ” Hick Stomp”, and “The Hayride Bloodbath”, the banjo fits perfectly, and when paired with simple lumbering, slammy , groove filled death metal, its works even more, as I’m not sure there is another genre it would fit as well with (hardcore? metalcore? tech death? ). I think not.

My only other exposure to this sound is 2014s Old Shack Stories, and from that album (there’s been 2 since) it appears Schüßler has reigned back the ridiculous froggy, gargled burped garbage disposal vocals a tad, in favor of a regular brutal (but still super burpy) death metal deep growl croak, and even then it seems used less, as many of the songs are have very few vocals (though Kill Everything‘s Weston Wylie shows up).  Which is fine, as the mix of banjo twang and huge death metal slams with programmed drums (and with a few samples) actually works well without vocals.

The likes of opener “5 String Apocalypse” (using Johnny Cash’s “Ghost Riders in the Sky” to great effect- Yippy Yi  Yay!!!!!), “Forefather’s Way”, “Backwoods Spirit” ,  Hick anthem, “Die like the Rest” and “Pack of Wolves”, are thunderous, catchy, slammy hoe downs that will get you head banging and yer foot tapping on back roads, terrorizing lost college kids, eating human flesh and having sex with your sister in the back seat of a raised up Ford Super Duty.

I’d actually kind a like to see this stuff in a live, but in a urban environment or a city, cos if this stuff was playing out on the country, Id be scared Pluto and his family might show up and try to eat me.

[Visit the band's website]

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