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Band Name: Teeth of the Hydra
Album Name: Greenland
Rating: 3.5 / 5 User Rating: 4.1 / 5
Label: Tee Pee Records
Buy Album: Amazon.com
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Tracklist
1) Sawing Through the Ice
2) Our Strange Man
3) The Garden of Rotten Teeth
4) Voices Over Conus
5) Nine Heads
6) Eruptin'
7) Narsaq
8) Purgatorium
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Teeth of the Hydra is a band that sounds like it is from a small, cold, European country when instead it is from Columbus Ohio. Even their debut album 'Greenland' is named after a small, cold, European country (well actually Greenland has a lot of land mass but not a lot of people). Recorded in about seven days 'Greenland' is a concept album describing a harsh artic life and though it does snow pretty badly in Ohio in the winter it is still interesting that these guys are American. Despite their true origin , Teeth of the Hydra has successfully captured that gritty, dark, early black metal sound just as good, if not better, as any European band could have and they have even added a few twists.
Accurately self described as '1970's black metal' Teeth of the Hydra has managed to merge the deepest and darkest of both heavy metal and European extreme metal. Black Sabbath is definitely a major influence here, as it is on pretty much the entire genre of black metal. Track seven 'Narsaq' (who knows what that stands for) has an intro very reminiscent of 'Iron Man' with that single bass drum beat in very slow timing. Track three 'the Garden of Rotten Teeth' clocks in at eleven minuets and eleven seconds and has a guitar solo that is very reminiscent of Toni Iommi's early work. There is a little hint of Gwar in there too, especially considering the odd ball artic concept, and the slow but deliberate riffs. Of course one can't forget the obvious influence from early weirdo black metal bands like Mayhem, noticeable in the fact that Teeth of the Hydra sticks to the old rules of the game and doesn't use opera singers or keyboards. There is also a slight tinge of that Clutch, stoner rock, east coast sound, detectable in the slow grooves that are alternated with moments of blast beats and heaviness. Track 6 'Eruptin'' is an example of this with its doom break downs and then incredibly fast, shredding guitar work. The vocals on the entire album are not growled but not really sung either; they are an angry yell that sounds like it was recorded in a basement.
Teeth of the Hydra is a band that would be perfect back ground music for a pre concert tailgate party or a satanic ritual, take your pick. The churning bass lines, fuzzy vocals, and heavy drums are a tribute to the quickie, low quality recordings of early extreme metal but there is a hint here and there that this is a new band, mostly noticeable in the song writing style. What really makes Teeth of the Hydra stand out is the fact that it is obviously influenced by classic extreme metal bands but they do not copy them out right. These guys are not another Slayer rehash and that is refreshing
The most interesting thing about 'Greenland' unto itself is that it is a recently recorded album. It is not a basement tape of a black metal band from 1989. It definitely has that quality though, excellently combined with groovy stoner riffage. Any die hard extreme metal fan will absolutely love the lo-fi, underground sound of Teeth of the Hydra. It makes the listener feel like they have found something rare or unreleased from one of their favorite bands.
Review by: Colette Claire
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