TRAPPIST - Ancient Brewing Techniques

September 4, 2018, 5 years ago

(Relapse)

Greg Pratt

Rating: 8.0

review heavy metal trappist

TRAPPIST - Ancient Brewing Techniques

What a great surprise when the first song, “No Soldier Left Behind”, comes racing on this, Trappist’s debut album, and it’s a perfect mix of old-school power violence and fast punk; “This Means Wort” follows that up with more grinding and sludging power violence, and it’s like Cry Now, Cry Later over here, and that’s amazing. Songs like “The Patron Saints” show the band settling into a mid-paced punk comfort zone, and none of these references should be a surprise, considering that Trappist has in its ranks Chris Dodge (Spazz, ex-Despise You, ex-Infest) and Phil Vera (ex-16, Despise You, Crom); throw in another member who owns the metallic burger joint Grill ‘Em All and a craft-beer lyrical theme (with some good song titles, to boot: “Wolves in the Tap Room”, “No Corporate Beer”, etc.) and it’s obviously going to be a winner. 

With 34 songs in 21 minutes, the crisp and clear production brings the band’s energy and influences through, creating a great listen for those who like it raw and rough. Even when things get a bit too drunk and goofy, like on “Giving the Boot to Reinheitsgebot”, you still get caught up in the enthusiasm of it all. Pour me a cold one and give me a couple hours while I reorganize my power violence split 7”s into some cohesive order while I crank this album up a few times in a row, because Ancient Brewing Techniques (love the name) is a sudsy, frantic victory.



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