Posted on: April 6, 2010 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Herman Rarebell – Too Late For Peace / 2006 Selfmadegod / 15 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/hrgrind / http://www.selfmadegod.com / Reviewed 11 March 2006

The first few tracks on “Too Late For Peace” blast through their minute-plus lengths with ease, but “Observation” is a slower piece that really relies on repetition to drive its point home. What “Too late For Peace” (the track) really does for Herman Rarebell is break down the barriers of structure to throw differing vocals on top of each other, as both of these fight the drums for dominance during the track.

Fifteen cuts level out at about nineteen minutes; this is even considering that Herman Rarebell throw in three covers (one Doom, two Napalm Death). One can even tell which of the tracks are covers; for example, the Doom track is nearly twice the length of any of the other songs on the disc. Herman Rarebell really subjugate the Doom track to their own sound, so that it fits perfectly among the other originals on “Too Late For Peace”. This form of grindcore is extraordinarily well done, to the point that each of the constituent parts of the band comes through as clear as day. One of the best parts of Herman Rarebell has to be the drumming; this is not necessarily machine-gun but the equivalent of a kid with Tourette’s hitting the drums each time eir tic comes out.

The screamed-out vocals present during tracks like “Cage of Life” do not fall into the high/low (Cookie Monster) dynamic present in a number of acts, but rather come forth with a distinct sound that has both individuals singing at a middle register. The harmony created by the sludgy-sounding guitars during “Firing Squad” play over the work-man like drumming of Blastard. Something that individuals will undoubtedly hear during tracks like “/…/ “ and “Cage of Life” is a devotion to the eighties brand of thrash that included acts like DRI. This combination of different styles means that “Too Late For Peace” is an individual that pretty much any fan of metal music can put on and find an ample amount of material to rock out to. The band has only been around for two years and to cut an album of this quality in such a short period of time really bodes well for the future of Herman Rarebell. When one considers the added ability shown re-crafting the covers to their specifications, there is little doubt in my mind that Herman Rarebell will get the fame that they rightfully deserve.

Top Tracks: Firing Squad, Cage of Life

Rating: 7.6/10

[JMcQ]

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