Death Valley High- Doom, In Full Bloom
Release date: 2011May03
Label: Minus HEAD
Rating: 4/5
Death Valley High play a potent mix of punk, metal and pop. They’re fronted by Reyka Osburn (Ghost Ride, Will Haven) and the promo material mentions bands like Torche and Killing Joke as influences. There are several notable tracks such as “Multiply” and “Meet Me For A Ouija”, which make good use of catchy melodies with a strong emphasis on the vocals of Osburn. “Thru Hell” plods along with a strong hardcore background (think a cross between a slower, doomier Bad Religion and The Misfits) and I would also call it one of the stronger tracks on this album.
Evidence of the Killing Joke influence is present on “Black Friday”, which is full of sludgy, punk-tinged metal. Not to be outdone, “The Wait”is an awesome cover of a classic Killing Joke track. It’s a fast paced, fresh take on this track.
“Mis+ & Debris” closes things off on a high note with thundering drums, decent melodies and a sinister vibe. It also has a 90s alt-rock feel, which is hard for me to pin down. Overall, I found a lot to like about Doom, In Full Bloom and I hope you will too as well. If anything, it should inspire others to dig deeper into the Killing Joke catalog, though be warned as their style has morphed over time.
FCC: None
Try: 1,3,5,6,9,12
Tags: Death Valley High, Doom In Full Bloom, Hardcore, Killing Joke, Minus HEAD records, punk, sludge metal