Deb Frost and Al Bouchard (BOC drummer, of course) have added some firepower to their long-standing and very prolific Cellsum consortium, and that is none other than Ross The Boss of Dictators and Manowar fame. Rounding out the band is David Hirschberg on bass, and what the bunch have turned in is their heaviest, grittiest collection to date, drums booming, Deb’s scratching feline vocals sanded into the woodwork, guitars everywhere. But the best is a bit of flamenco noir - and the only non-stomper - called ‘Strange Like Me’, neatest from a BOC trivia standpoint being ‘Dark Secrets’, which uses a Helen Wheels lyric, Helen being an occasional BOC lyricist that died all too young due to complications during surgery. Ross’ exquisite flathead riffery shines through on ‘Jimmy Boots Fetish’, ‘Verboten’ and ‘Plague Of Lies’, both of these Dictators-like in their rock ‘n’ roll groundedness. Kick-ass old school riffing is indeed everywhere, o’er which Al and Deb split the vocals, both of them, as usual, somewhat fragile and on the verge of being out of tune (witness Al on ‘Swansong’), which is no change, and something that has become part of the band’s charm. But Denial Of Death (oddly, the band seem to be calling themselves Brain Surgeons NYC, and the cover art is very much like the last Dictators) is an album on which the production, despite al these strong personalities, takes centre stage. This is In Utero and not Nevermind, the rough, opaque ride soaked in hard-won integrity. It’s like the embarrassment of riches the band find themselves with has frenzied then fried the speakers. Way, way, unlike any other from the band, and I’d have to agree with all the critics I’ve read on the subject so far… this is their band-iest and best, with Al’s mass-retained BOC-steep writing intrigue colliding in NYC glory with a certain something from Ross that is boldly plugged in direct.