Disperse the Curse

A supergroup that hangs together long enough to release more than one album? Now that's unusual, but then so is the four-headed monster known as Hail! Hornet, whose veteran members aren't as prone to egomaniacal whims or other such distractions typically afforded their rich and famous supergroup brethren. Rather, its members are hard working, rock & roll lifers accustomed to enjoying the simpler pleasures and heinous challenges associated with being in a band — or several at the same time. So while Hail! Hornet's quartet of vocalist T-Roy Medlin, guitarist Vince Burke, bassist "Dixie" Dave Collins, and drummer Erik Larson were hardly going to neglect their various individual bands (Sourvein, Weedeater, Beaten Back to Pure, etc.) between the recording of 2007's eponymous Hail! Hornet debut and 2011's follow-up Disperse the Curse, their renewed musical camaraderie here is nothing to scoff at. Especially since Disperse arguably tops their impressive first belch, while trumping the fact that there's been no musical evolution to speak of between each album, with a slightly superior, more consistent collection of songs. Some of these, including "Glass Roses," "Dullards Creed," and the feedback colossus "Blacked Out in Broad Daylight" (an obvious tribute to Floridian legends Cavity) proffer thick, soupy sludge/doom, as one would expect; but who knew Larson had the feet fleet to break out the thrash while driving the likes "Gifted Horse" and "Unholy Foe" 'round the Nascar track? Even more satisfying are hybrid concoctions such as the title cut, "Kill the Liars," and the fittingly named "Beast of Bourbon" which, thanks to the heavy-handed Burke (also acting as producer/engineer for this recording), pack some of the meanest Southern metal riffs this side of down, and much uglier to boot. Speaking of ugly, human vocals don't get much uglier, filthier, and nastier than Medlin's, unless it's the occasional, agonized rasp provided by nominal bassist Collins, completing Hail! Hornet's reputation among the baddest of the bad in Southern metal. Super stuff, indeed.