I never thought I’s actually say this in a review, but here goes- the second album from Swiss act Voice of Ruin is a throwback record- not a retro thrash or death metal throwback but a throw back to the…..classic American metal/metalcore days of the mid 00s.

Yup. Miss Unearth or Lamb of God’s mid 00s records? Miss God Forbid and Shadows Fall? Miss all those Crash/Pavement music ‘modern metal’ bands? Then Morning Wood is for you (never thought I’d ever say that either).

Chunky groovy thrashy metal with some dual licks and melodies , a few clean choruses abound, Morning Wood is a beefy, enjoyable, simple record that hearkens back to a time when American metal was all the rage. An even  though the band’s themes and lyrics (though that cover art IS kickass)  are a bit tongue in cheek with song titles like ‘Welcome to the Stud Farm”, “Big Dick”, “Sex for Free” and “Cock n Bulls”, the music itself is a pretty solid affair with ample thrashing numbers, some catchy solos and choruses and a very solid modern production befitting the band;s influences.

If an album has a song tribute to the Robert Rodriguez, Machete films, “Through the Eyes of Machete” (the video above) you know you are in for a fun, no nonsense, but low brow ride, and Voice of Ruin deliver with a big brazen grin and big balls. It’s a simple, shallow release that’s fun for a loud stereo and road trip with a group of non picky metal heads. You can thrash it up with “Day of Rage” and “Voils Disenvoltes” or shred a little air guitar along to “The Rise of Nothing”  and “Sex for Free” and head bang and sing along to the groove laden title track or even sway a lighter along with the instrumental ballad “Today Will End”.

Its all here in it’s dumbed down, American, decade old, but still kinda fun glory. And its certainly a break from the post shoe gaze tech death overload I’ve heard in 2014, even if its from a era largely mocked and ridiculed by many.

[Visit the band's website]

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