Sudden Deaf – Havoc Review

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First thing first, I’ll admit that I confused Sudden Deaf with Sudden Death which is a completely different band. Then, when I noticed my mistake I thought the band would be one of those pranks bands that once in a while pop up here. I guess it happens to all. Second, the initial moments of album opener “Goin’ Down” kind of reminded the all time Fastway’s classic “Say What You Will” from “Trick or Treat” album era. I know, I know. Not even close but I have this unexplainable tendency of relating and connecting songs in a very unique and weird way. Everybody has some quirky about oneself. By the way, listening to thew song for the third time I understand that it addresses much more to the intro of “Metal Militia.” Yes, the song of that band that I’m not allowed to say the name. The song has a Metal wrapping with some 1970s driven vocals which is the tone of the entire album. It’s fantastic how today’s band mix so uneven influences. Everything, tough, changes with “In the Mood” which to some extent reminds Rush’s – yeah, Rush have a song with this same tittle from the 1974’s album “Rush.”

“Havoc” is another album that tries to hide its Metal roots and sonancy. I’ll invite my dear fan to go right to third track “Raging Storm” and check it out to try to deny that it isn’t a Doom Metal band. By the way, things in “Havoc” have a very sudden –  no pun intended – way of changing. Welcoming track “Goin’ Down” is completely different from grand finale “City in the Sea” which has that doomy mood as well. And this one with a very distinct Black Sabbath overtones in the guitars. Talking about changes, this track changes a lot too. With a very doomy beginning from the fifth minute on the song gets on fire and the guitar takes a very different and distinct lane getting that downpicking that was made famous by some bands. Guitars here get flamming and wild. Great grand finale.

After listening to the entire album for some times, I guess change of hearts is the rule to the band. Most songs have a sudden change fo heart after their intros. I just loved the dirty sound of the guitars and the feeling the album has of some poor production. It gives it the charm. As I said before, if “Havoc” were recorded in the 1980s it would be undoubtedly labeled as Metal. Maybe some will disagree but that’s it.

Sudden Deaf “Havoc” will be released on October 07th.

Track Listing:

  1. Goin Down
  2. Mind Control
  3. Raging Storm
  4. Head Hunter
  5. Dusk
  6. City in the Sea

Watch “Mind Control” official video here: