Review: Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer

Artist: Cancer Bats
Album: Hail Destroyer
Label: Metal Blade
Released: 6/24/2008

BSTscore: 88

Why beat around the bush? This album rocks. The 2^nd full length from Toronto’s Cancer Bats, Hail Destroyer is just about everything I could ask for in a hardcore album. The songs are catchy, energetic, and melodic. Using a straight forward approach to their songwriting (similar to the stripped down method used by Across Five Aprils on Life Underwater), the songs flow, keep the listener interested, and beg you to sing along. What else could you want?

None of the musicianship is groundbreaking, but it doesn’t have to be. The southern metal “twang” to the guitars is very reminiscent of Every Time I Die (Buffalo, Toronto, coincidence?). Each time I listen, I catch more intricacies that help with the melody, but you won’t catch clichéd solos or breakdowns; they are subtle and fit with the music. The band does a great job of mixing punk and metal into the songs to give each song a unique identity.

One of my favorite aspects of the album is the lyrics. Slightly twisted, but positive in the same light, the direct messages won me over very quickly. Check out “Deathsmarch” for an example of what I mean. The pop culture references in the song titles get bonus points from me. The vocals sound a little stretched at times, but Liam Cormier has a very clear delivery that makes singing along seem like 2^nd nature when listening to Hail Destroyer. There are guest vocals on three songs, including “Harem of Scorpions” which includes Tim of Rise Against.

This leaves me craving more from Cancer Bats. If you don’t have this or their previous full length, Birthing the Giants, I highly recommend that you pick them up as soon as possible. The band’s energetic sound is infectious and will have you listening to this on repeat for quite some time.

Musicianship: 85
Vocals: 90
Creativity: 90
Impact: 85

Favorite Song: “Harem of Scorpions”

Listen to Cancer Bats