3 Inches Of Blood - Here Waits Thy Doom review
| Band: | 3 Inches Of Blood |
| Album: | Here Waits Thy Doom |
| Style: | Heavy metal, Power metal |
| Release date: | August 31, 2009 |
| A review by: | Doc G. |
01. Battles And Brotherhood
02. Rock In Hell
03. Silent Killer
04. Fierce Defender
05. Preachers Daughter
06. Call Of The Hammer
07. Snake Fighter
08. At The Foot Of The Great Glacier
09. All Of Them Witches
10. 12:34
11. Execution Tank
12. Wizard's Island [bonus]
13. Not Fragile [Bachman-Turner Overdrive cover] [bonus]
14. Cities On Flame [Blue Öyster Cult cover] [bonus]
15. Daytona [Zeke cover] [bonus]
This is 3 Inches Of Blood - they eat, sleep, and write riffs. End of story.
Alas it seems I'm required to write at least 250 words - so let's expand, shall we? Here is a band that within the past couple years have suffered some of the worst tribulations a band can - the constant rotation of band members, a former drummer playing fisticuffs with Nigel Glockler, the loss of an original core member, and being dropped from Roadrunner for not giving the label the album sales they wanted to see. They managed to completely bounce back with their most solid, varied album to date. With the preview release of the track "Call Of The Hammer" it appeared as if the band had fully sunk itself into the thrash metal genre - nothing could be further from the truth. While Here Waits Thy Doom has a small handful of thrash songs in it, 3 Inches' transcends any strict genre. We see everything from Slayer to Deep Purple influences worn on their sleeves. The guitar work is just top notch, as previously mentioned - dabbling in a wide variety of styles making this easily the most unpredictable work they have ever done. Aside from the riffs, the whole band has made vast improvements becoming tighter than ever. Although Cam Pipes sticks to his falsetto Halford shrieks, he now seems to be more comfortable exploring rougher vocal tendencies. Underneath all of this we have interesting drum work....that's right! Creative drum work that draws attention on its own without being generic time-keeping.
One thing I could always commend 3 Inches' for was their ability to have each song on their albums flow seamlessly into one another, this album completely lacks that quality. The erratic genre-crossing makes Here Waits Thy Doom come across as a compilation rather than an actual album. Let's just say it seems to lack any context, and that each song should be taken at face value. The only other problem is probably only relevant to long-time 3 Inches Of Blood fans - the loss of harsh screamer Jamie Hooper. While there are many who prayed for the removal of the metalcore elements in their sound, the loss is noticeable and the band seems to have lost somewhat of a punch their previous efforts had.
Here Waits Thy Doom seemed like an appropriate title for this album, considering the events that transpired since their last release it was do-or-die time for the band, and they managed to succeed with flying colours. The only way to sum it up is that this is a must-have for any fan of eclectic heavy metal riff-fests. Nothing more, and most certainly nothing less.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 10 |
Comments
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Comments: 52
Visited by: 310 users
| K✞ulu Seeker of Truth Posts: 2573  |
The first two sentences were enough of an impetus for me to check this album out.
---- Savor what you feel and what you see Things that may not seem important now But may be tomorrow R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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| wormdrink414 Elite Posts: 1295  |
Just checked these guys out for the first time last week and although their sound is not one toward which I typically gravitate, I catch, and am attracted to, their "fuck you, we're going to play what we want to play" (to be as articulate as possible) nonchalance that seems to have been lost somewhere at the turn of the century. That and they shred. They are a nice breath of fresh but old school musty air. I'll probably have to check this out.
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| distorted rage Posts: 48  |
I love 3IOB can't wait to acquire the new disc. Just wish I could find it on vinyl. ; )
---- 'We entered Winter once again...The sun sets forever over Blackwater park'
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254  |
I've always seen this band as a commercial, "please like me" band. I don't know why. Maybe they just come across as pretenders to me. I saw them from a bit of distance at Wacken 2008 and was quite pleasantly surprised though, so maybe I'll take some time to listen to a few songs from this.
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| BudDa Elite Posts: 887  |
I do miss Hooper! I downloaded the leaked copy of Here Waits they Doom and while the album is quite good; enjoyable even..I still feel the void left by him(Hooper). The music is less aggressive and sounds more 'cliched' old power metal
---- Freeze! Step away from the hubris.
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| BudDa Elite Posts: 887 |
I also think 9.4 is way too high. I would give it an 8.2
---- Freeze! Step away from the hubris.
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094  |
Hell yeah, this is an awesome album, when i read the review i was something like "wtf 3IoB and Deep Purple?" but it actually sounds excellent(i expected no less from these guys though), i like the new Kreator-like vocals too, they give it a thrashy feel. Cam Pipes is as close to God-dom as ever.
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254 |
I've given bits a listen now and it is just as I suspect. Typically north American, completely soulless music.
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15287  |
Written by Baz Anderson on 11.09.2009 at 15:37 i hope you are not inferring that north american music is soulless, as one could easily read that statement as such.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774  |
There are atypical bands  won't say 3IOB is completely soulless (judging from "Here waits thy doom"), but I am not exactly impressed either. Or perhaps I am not a huge Heavy Metal fan
---- loves 小巫
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254 |
Haha, well of course everywhere has its good and bad. It just seems very (modern) Roadrunner Records-y to me. I don't know how to explain how I feel, but maybe it sounds a bit manufactured.
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Written by Baz Anderson on 11.09.2009 at 20:56 hm, thats strange, I find they actually stepped up in that department with this one. It could be the more earthy-type production via Jack Endino (well, more earthy in relativity), the old albums seem a little more glossed over. This factor mixed with the more direct song writing than before really bumps them up from "pretty good" to "absolutely solid" in my books. But somehow I get the feeling they've peaked with this album, so if you don't like them now I somehow doubt there will be any future album to change that...who knows though. I also don't get the "Like me!" vibe from them either, to me they just come across as a band who appreciate solid riffs....the riffs, man, the riffs!
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857  |
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469  |
Written by Baz Anderson on 11.09.2009 at 15:37 That's why I don't like this band. Technically, they're good musicians but their music doesn't give me any emotion. It sounds too modern and manufactured for my tastes, indeed. Kinda sterile and boring.
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| Derwood Posts: 511  |
There are some great riffs and occasional bits of groove. While Here Awaits Thy Doom is not a particular standout, I certainly wouldn't call it soulless. "Call of the Hammer" is an especially strong track. The real problem with the album is the vocals. After a couple tracks, Cam Pipe's voice really starts to grate on me. Halford-like he most certainly is not, though he might wish he was. I give the album a 7. If Pipe's falsetto wasn't so irritating, I'd give it an 8. Nevertheless, they're playing an all-ages show in my town in a couple days, so I'm going to make it my 11 year-old's first concert.
---- You can't fight evil with a macaroni duck!
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| Murder Posts: 255  |
Written by Ag Fox on 11.09.2009 at 20:45 yeah, that's why I love them, and well, I have to say when they came to Mexico... wow... they're really know how to attract all the attention... I wanna get this album right now, good review 
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| insanity.peppers Posts: 193  |
I miss Hooper's voice as well. Nothing really grabbed me about the album but I'm sure once I give it a few more listens it will grow on me. It's definitely better than Fire Up the Blades. I have a question for the reviewer - in the credits list does it say whether Hooper was still involved as a *songwriter*? He seemed to write most of the last two albums, I don't see why he just doesn't pick up a bass or electric guitar and become a full-time member without the vocals. I hate it when the last founding member takes off from a band :-(
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by insanity.peppers on 12.09.2009 at 11:31 Good question! I'm looking at it now - it appears all the music was either written by Shane Clark or Justin Hagberg, while the lyrics were almost entirely written by Cam Pipes, with a few co-written by Hagberg...so no Jaimie Hooper in this one at all.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| insanity.peppers Posts: 193 |
Written by Doc G. on 12.09.2009 at 18:39 what a shame 
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094 |
I think they still managed to pull it off without Hooper, they pretty much gambled and won in epic style. i hope they attend some of the festivals next year and play some of the (already) classics too like Crazy Nights, Swordmaster or Destroy The Orcs along with new songs like Preacher's Daughter(which i imagine is a beast live) i only realized this now, but Preacher's Daughter is pretty much an Angel Witch song with Pipes's vocals, it screams NWOBHM. AWESOME.
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| AndreOliveira Posts: 6  |
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Valentin B on 11.09.2009 at 15:29 If you're talking about the death metal vocals in there, those were done by Justin Hagberg.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254 |
Written by [user id=20536] on 14.09.2009 at 03:38 Believe me, I listen to a lot of bands new and old. I know what I like and what I don't like. It isn't about "emotion", it is about how genuine the music sounds. The cheek...
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| Derwood Posts: 511 |
After seeing them live, I take back my earlier comment about Cam Pipes' vocals. It must be in the production because he sounds waaaayyy better live.
---- You can't fight evil with a macaroni duck!
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094 |
I agree with one part of the review, there seems there is a loss of energy and kick in the sound, not only because of Hooper's departure, but there's something else, i mean, there are songs that sound like a fucking T-90 tank rampaging stampede on their past albums like Destroy the Orcs or Goatriders Horde, and sure there's thrashy fast songs here but they seem to lack that insane "WUUAAAAAARRHHGGR-OOOOOOOWWWWWWW" Cam-Pipes-belts-out-epic-Halford-impersonation-which-fades-into-Hooper's-scream about them. i'll never forget the first time i ever heard Destroy The Orcs, for 10 seconds i was "ooh this is some decent riffage" but then Cam Pipes belted out that impossible first scream, i was "  HOLY SHIT!!!!".. plus like i said the production just isn't as over the top as on their 2004 album, which imo is by far their best and one of the best albums of modern classic-influenced metal ever produced right up there with Halford's Resurrection.
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Valentin B on 15.09.2009 at 20:14 I'd say the exact opposite, I find this album to be a lot thicker than their previous albums. If you compare it to other albums Jack Endino produced it's in his typical style; thick, but a lot more close-up sounding. It's definitely not nearly as over-the-top or epic sounding, but it's a hell of a lot more consistent.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094 |
Written by Doc G. on 15.09.2009 at 20:30 on a side note, i wonder how Painkiller would sound with Cam Pipes on vocals 
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| Newfie_Metal Posts: 57 |
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