Sixkiller Zero | ‘Battle Royale’

Brodude metal, as we’ve come to know it round here, is horrible. There’s something about the style that seems to attract the most image conscious, faux backslapping barflies we have and imbue them with the idea that they’re living life like they’re in the Vulgar Video. It’s a toe curling spectacle. I’m not accusing Sixkiller Zero of this, but you get the point. Metal is about more than just having a good time (yep - sorry).

Everyone in this field, it seems, wants to be Pantera. As with every band whose lineage gets tainted by the hopefuls that come after them, there are fundamental reasons why the up and comers can’t even come close to the original. Aping them this much may be fun, but in reality it shows a base level lack of imagination. To state the absolutely obvious, it’s going nowhere new.

Taken in any other context, this would actually be a commendable enough cd. The production is heavy and clear, they’re all tight, one or two of the songs are engaging, and thus in theory Bob may be demonstrated to be your uncle. But though it’s definitely competent, there’s no daring in it anywhere. There’s zero thinking outside the box, and even within that same dull cuboid it doesnt sound like there’s much conviction.

‘Order Sixty Six’ is confusing in this regard. It seems like they’re trying to prove something, moving briefly away from their usual groove and toward the gallop of orthodox trad metal. While performed with good command of their instruments, it rather sounds like something In Flames would have put out at the beginning of their own identity crisis.

Otherwise, the tracks are decent. ‘Enter The Scum Dragon’ is an assertive enough opener, and ‘Battle Royale’, despite sounding like a burger, will doubtless have punters enthused. ‘The Robot Of Satan’ though is a disaster - a pointless, boring inclusion. One of the biggest criticisms of the nu-metal project was it’s braindead, ham fisted idea of riffing. This is what it sounds like, and no amount of B-movie samples are going to save that. It shouldnt have gone on this otherwise entirely acceptable if slightly predictable cd.

The band can and should be braver with their material. There’s a whole world out there for Christ’s sake - sample some of it, and inject it into the music. Otherwise this identikit riff metal is indistinguishable from the crowd, and that’s a poor state of affairs. A shame, given this cd’s better moments, but they’ve all been in other bands for a while now and are big enough to take it.

Ciaran Tracey ::: 05/10/08