Hammer of God
Artist: Mortification
Label: Metal Blade
Time: 70:40 minutes/16 Tracks
Get ready for a trip back metal lane. But the real trip is your
tour guide--he looks like he's stuck in the eighties, he plays like he's
stuck in the eighties, but I'm glad he's in the nineties. Yes, Mortification
has released yet another album.
Right from the start you get the metal fix you've been craving for
so long, but you may question if you really wanted it in the first place.
Steve Rowe wants to deliver to his fans. Unfortunately, his fans are the
only people he delivers to this time. If you like Mortification, get this
album to complete your collection. If you've never heard of them, keep
it that way--avoid this album and save a few dollars. This album is not
the album to be introduced to them by, and quite frankly, I'm not sure
which one would be.
I do compliment his production on this album. Rowe's new 24 track
studio gives out a nice, crisp sound. He also incorporates a tad of the
Faith No More sound into some songs, and it gives the songs more depth
than his usual speed/metal/thrash/death chord progression. And by the way,
he is a great bass player.
His lyrics are humorous and all about God. I laughed hard at the
lyrical "depth" of "God Rulz":
God Rulz, God Rulz,
God Rulz, God Rulz,
God Rulz, God Rulz, God Rulz!"
That was the whole song, and that was Steve Rowe at his finest,
being himself, and doing a good job of it. Then there's the song
"DWAM" (Daniel Was A Mosher), which will once again appeal to all those
that have banged their heads against the wall so much that they don't care
for deep lyrics. These lyrics amuse and sometimes minister, but they
don't impress me. However, he holds nothing back and puts all he has into
it telling you about the LORD (and hurts your eardrums while doing so,
which appealed to the child in me).
Hammer of God is mediocre at best, and it seems they're sounding
dated. I would have loved this album when I was getting my drivers license,
but now it's too shallow for my metal taste. But for you Mort-heads out
there, you're gonna like it more than myself, and don't throw any punches
in the pit. I wouldn't want Keith Bannister after me, even if he
is a Christian.
Justin Jones 8/26/99
