Extreme metal legends, Nails, have returned after eight years since their last effort, “You Will Never Be One of Us,” with a new project that continues their streak of deadly and pummeling grindcore. This has been a fantastic year for metal, with stellar albums dropped by bands I’ve covered earlier this year like Thou and Knocked Loose; Nails is no exception.
At just 17 minutes in length, their new album, “Every Bridge Burning,” is incredibly short — although those familiar with grindcore will know that this is a pretty standard album length for the genre. Despite its brief running time, this record is no easy trip to sit through. The band needs only a few seconds to rip a hole in your head with their ferocious guitar riffs, battering drums, and snarling vocals. What’s impressive is how many different ideas and standout moments the band manages to cram into this super condensed package.
I think this album stands out from some of Nails’ earlier material because they occasionally take risks and try out other styles of metal. The most notable example of this comes from the song that is easily my favorite on the record, as well as one of the best metal songs of the year for me: “Give Me The Painkiller.” With a startlingly melodic speed metal riff and rip-roaring double bass rhythms, the song feels like a love letter to old-school metal, incorporating a shredding solo which gives the song that finishing touch.
Some other standouts to me were definitely “I Can’t Turn It Off” and “Lacking The Ability To Process Empathy.” The former has some sinister and rocking lead guitars that come in at the end, adding an epic sort of malice to the song, and the latter has a simple but bludgeoning riff. The refrain of “LACKING THE ABILITY! TO PROCESS EMPATHY!” has been stuck in my head for days.
Throughout all these tracks, which can be as short as sub-40 seconds, the band brings their signature grimy riffs and frenetic drum performances, all produced impeccably by legendary Converge drummer, Kurt Ballou. From a vocal perspective, the band has only gotten more demented, with frontman and guitarist, Todd Jones, spitting every word out with venom. His voice, which on earlier records was more of a frantic shriek, has morphed with time into a low, gurgling roar that sounds misanthropic and bitter as all hell. Surprisingly, he manages to utilize his voice for some pretty memorable refrains; it’s not exactly Top 40 earworms, but it’s a lot more catchy than what you’d expect from this strain of music.
The misanthropic sound of the music is reflected in the lyrics on this album. Nails have never been a cheery band, but this might be their most hateful and isolationist manifesto yet, with standout lyrics such as, “Trust your hypocrisy/ Turn your back on me/ Consumed with jealousy/ Turn your back on me,” from the title track, as well as, “Know a lot of people but don’t have many friends/ The way you look at me, I’m just a means to an end/ Every bridge burning, bodies blaze on the shore/ I got fucking nothing for you anymore” on the disaffected closer, “No More Rivers to Cross.” Certainly not lyrics for the best of days, but I think most of us have days where we can get where these lyrics are coming from.
“Every Bridge Burning” is a short but amazing metal record that I would recommend to anyone. Even if you don’t listen to metal, this brief record is perfect to put on while washing dishes, and it’ll probably end before you’re finished. Of course, if you like heavy music, this is a must-listen. Nails have done it again; hopefully, we don’t have to wait another eight years for a follow-up.
