Teethmarks are back with their sophomore release Survival. This album delivers their unique brand of sludge, hardcore punk, and stoner metal to Toronto’s eclectic metal scene.
The album wastes no time diving into what it does best, delivering punishing riffs. The album opens with the anthem “Sea of Violence” which encapsulates their brand of metal right from the get go; guitar harmonies intermingled with heavy sludge riffs. Wellman and Bennet deliver simple-yet-catchy guitar harmonies on songs like “Gold Chains” “Wolves of the Union” and “Times Infinity” which just bleed Thin Lizzy.
Nothing is over done on the album, and everything serves the purpose of driving the songs forward. Graham Christian’s vocals take some time to get used to, but offer a dynamic range throughout the album. The band’s strength is in their chemistry, and employing a less is more approach.
There is nothing that will surprise a listener who is well acquainted with the genres of stoner or sludge metal, but it is nevertheless a solid album. If you’re looking for an album of Down, Bison, and Cursed thrown together, then Survival is for you.
