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Shevils – Lost in Tartarus

Shevils – Lost in Tartarus

Cthulhu dressed as a cowboy, riding a manta ray while holding a laser gun… Believe it or not, but that just raised my expectations. No clue why, but like some people will shout out record of the year when they see, for example, Batman on the cover of an album, this cover just did the same for me. Anyway, I decided to give this album a couple of spins as soon as I saw the cover. I had no clue whatsoever about what to expect, but this band wouldn’t want to make Cthulhu mad with bad music, would they? Let’s have a look at the bio Shevils was kind enough to include: Shevils is pure sexiness driven by suggestive fast riffs. Well… uhm… ok? Thank you…
That doesn’t help to much either, does it?

Living on the edge, like always, I decided to just push play and see what would happen. I was not disappointed! Shevils deliver music on their second full length that is epic enough to match the cover art. At first the music reminded me of a mix of Soapbox and Helmet. Later on I figured I could settle for a bit faster and more catchy Refused. Anyways… you get the picture, it’s fast and energetic. What this type of music needs is a certain urge. And the band has plenty of that.

The small details that are included in all songs raise this album above it’s contemporaries. I am talking here about the hand-clapping in the second song Black eyes or the keys in We walk on shattered glass (both of which were released earlier as digital singles, and for a reason). This kind of tricks can only work is the production is good enough. Shevils really profit from an excellent production. The guitars are a loud, but not overpowering the rest of the instruments, the bass rumbles and the drums thunder. On top of that singer Anders screams his lungs out. And that is my only point of critique: his voice could be used a bit more dynamic.

Filled to the brim with catchy hardcore I’ve listened to this album too many times already. And Cthulhu? He’s tapping his foot (or whatever) to the beat…

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