Album Review

Thick As Blood – Living Proof

• 17th Jul 2012

‘Living Proof’ follows the direction that a number of hardcore bands have ventured in recent years; combining the fundamental elements of east coast hardcore with more traditional metal. Whereas a number of later contemporaries have chosen this direction to distinguish themselves from the seemingly never-ending onslaught of new bands, Thick as Blood boast a consistency rare in a band’s development. In fact, there are moments on the record that nod towards the aforementioned fundamentals far more overtly than on either of the previous records – take ‘The Outsiders’ as a prominent example of the considered fusion of both styles.

At its core, ‘Living Proof’ is an unreserved assault on the metal senses. Formed by steady but unrelenting guitar shredding and impressive drum speeds, the eleven track LP is likely to find itself sitting comfortably between Lamb of God and Pantera records on the shelf. The homage to unadulterated metal runs through the veins of the record, be it the unexpected harmonic breakdown in ‘Diente Por Diente’ or the explosive opening moments on ‘Headaches’. Throughout this the beauty of the record remains the ability to marry the brutal attitude with the more surprising structural elements of punk and hardcore.

As their first release on Rise Records, and the first since the exodus of a considerable number of band members, Thick as Blood have turned up the ferocity levels in an apparent attempt to cement their sustainability in the music world. ‘Living Proof’ does more than confirm their relevance; it avoids clichés and stereotypes that attach themselves to metal while retaining a relentless destructive force. Moments such as ‘No Rest for the Wicked’, ‘Madre Mia’ and album closer ‘Damned Nation’ indicate an ability to appease both metal and hardcore fans alike, and will undoubtedly have them all moshing in their masses for years to come.