Album Review: Highrider – Roll For Initiative (The Sign Records)

Coming out of the metal hotspot, Gothenburg in Sweden, Highrider will release their debut album, Roll for Initiative on the 15th September 2017 via The Sign Records.

At their core, Highrider play thrash metal. Hard & heavy trash metal but also throw in plenty of other elements to give themselves quite a unique sound. There’s a little bit of 70’s rock, doom, classic metal, punk & hardcore all mixed in!

Nihilist Lament is all about thrash though as it comes bursting through the door & downs the nearest beer. It straight away pulls you in with some stunning riffs, intriguing background effects & pissed off punk-style shouty vocals. There’s some serious chugging groove going on here & it sounds fantastic.

The intensity of A Burial Scene & Batteries keep the mind focused on the high-tempo thrash metal before The Greater Monkey lightens the mood with some fun rhythmic keyboard effects.

Roll for Initiative is a hell of an energetic album, not just in the hardcore riffing & punk-tinged vocals. The album embodies a level of energy that just makes you feel good, frantic & dirty but satisfying sex.

Emotional Werewolf is a track that showcases that perfectly with its up-beat vibe, exciting riffs & unusual sounding effects. It’s a really great piece of music.

The Rope and the Blade finishes off the album with a slower & more mood-altering beat. Its doomy edge fits well with the shouty vocal style & some lip-quivering bass hooks.

A hell of an imaginative album.

Highrider – Roll for Initiative Full Track Listing:

1. Nihilist Lament
2. A Burial Scene
3. Batteries
4. The Greater Monkey
5. Vagina El Dente
6. Emotional Werewolf
7. Roll Dee Twenty
8. The Rope and the Blade

You can order the album now via The Sign Records’ Bandcamp here. Make sure you check out the band over on their Facebook page here.