Album Review: Gallows - Gallows

From the opening track, Victim Culture, on Gallows' self-titled third album, it's immediately apparent that the new life injected by ex-Alexisonfire guitarist Wade MacNeil was infectious, with a spoken word intro as band plays eerily in the background, the track launching into a brash crunch of heavily overdriven guitars, with MacNeil's vocals a passionate melee of textured brutality. Comparisons will be made to ex-frontman Frank Carter, who fronts his new band Pure Love and is no longer angry, and rightfully so. However, Orchestra Of Wolves was an unbridled work of angst and by the time Grey Britain was released a lot of the venom had seeped out of the band, where tracks were slower and more elaborate and the full extent of the studio was utilised, with some tracks even having acoustic guitars on them. Gallows sees a return to the unpolished angry “Fuck You!” Gallows.

The tracks are shorter, with each song being stripped back to its essential parts and integral riffs, in essence keeping the song 'in your face' and consistently moving to the next section with first single, Outsider Art, being the most elaborate track on the record. Highlights include the womanising Last June, the rhythmic Cult Of Mary and closing number, Cross Of Lorraine, featuring heavy detuned riffs and rare vocal melodies, holding true to the Gallows formula of having a killer closing track for their albums. Without a doubt this would be Gallows' strongest release to date, one that harnesses the band's raucous energy and fully utilises their songwriting prowess. A punk record in its purest form, Gallows holds no punches and revitalises the band's career, which could have very easily disappeared all too quickly.