American Head Charge – The War of Art 
Label: American Recordings
Rating: 
 

As if Slayer's new CD wasn't enough pure metal for the summer of 2001 (see review) Rick Rubin's American Recordings have unleashed a new metal monster with American Head Charge. Their debut "The War of Art" packs a punch that only a seven-piece band can deliver. That intensity was discovered this summer as the band amazed Ozzfest crowds and annoyed tour organizers with their full-throttle show that included burning flags and the band shooting off a shotgun during their performances. The mayhem only continued after the Ozzfest was over and the band began hitting the clubs, where one unlucky fan was the target of a thrown bottle from stage. Even before the release of their album, American Head Charge was writing their name in the rock history books with their insane live performances. 

We know they can deliver the goods live but can they capture the same intensity in the studio? After one listen to "The War of Art" I give you a resounding HELL YES! Forget what the fans and critics have come to call nu-metal, American Head Charge only uses a little of the watered down modern sounds and instead they go straight to the thrash and speed metal archives to achieve the bulk of their ear-splitting sonic direction. 

From start to finish "The War of Art" is an uncompromising heavy album filled with righteous screams, in your face bass and drums and searing guitars. The song titles speak for themselves; "A Violent Reaction", "Pushing The Envelope", "Americunt Evolving Into Useless Psychic Garbage" and "Breathe In, Bleed Out". There is no mistaking this band with their less intense nu-metal contemporaries. 

 Viddy well my little brothers and sisters this CD is not for the weak at heart or the mall-core crowd but if you want to do some serious head banging and inflict irreversible damage to your eardrums this is the CD to own in 2001! 
 

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