Ventura-based metal outfit Too Sick To Pray tear it up on ‘Meet Me At The Gates,’ the blistering debut single that introduces them into the world without an apology for their unapologetic blend of old school thrash influences and modern aggression. From the first opening riff you realise this band aren’t just toe dipping into the metal scene, these guys have come here to take up a commanding space and a sound that screams for attention.The track, fronted by Jake Weeces’ gritty, powerful vocals has little time to waste setting its engaged, high-octane energy.
Jay Rivera’s riffs on guitar are technical without being punishing, scorching through precision and forcefulness you have to nutheadbang to. Anchored on PJ’s bass lines (mostly) and Brittney Hendricks’ explosive drumming, the rhythm section is an unrelenting foundation driving the song at full bore.Riffing comes first, then an explosion of down descending groove, ending in the band’s potent ability to construct layered, complicated songs with much mastery and depth. But it’s a shift that feels almost refreshing, and has even more depth and replay value to the track.
But beneath the sonic onslaught is an introspective lyrical core, which Weeces uses to explore the intricacies of human emotions (anger, sadness, scare, and elation), and how best to embrace those emotions instead of denying them. The thematic depth gives “Meet Me At The Gates” weight and substance, lifting “Meet Me At The Gates” above simple metallic aggression.
The single was produced by the seasoned Addasi Addasi and mastered by Grammy winning engineer Brendan Duffey, the result is a polished without compromise sound that gloriously captures the live fury of Too Sick To Pray’s live shows. Laying down a powerful marker with “Meet Me At The Gates,” Too Sick To Pray announce their arrival as a force to be reckoned with in the metal mantenance and for fans of blistering thrash metal with an edge, Too Sick To Pray’s debut is a must listen – a commanding statement of intent of what this talented quartet are capable of.
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