Album Review: Jackal’s Backbone – Red Mist Descending (Self Released)

Having cut their razor-sharp teeth on a series of singles and EPs and captured the lightning of their on stage mayhem with the Live At Beermageddon album, Jackal’s Backbone are now ready to unleash the full force of their bile and fury. Red Mist Descending is out on December 10th, 2021.

Having already made a decent name for themselves in the British metal scene, Red Mist Descending is the next step in Jackal’s Backbone’s planned domination. Their debut album, confirmation of what their fanbase already know, which is that Jackal’s Backbone are a special mix of thrash, death and heavy metal. A band that knows how to make you groove, head-bang and circle pit. Delivering a high-energy and infectious blast of heavy, fun times.

Kicking off with the foot-tapping beat of Release the Kraken, this is a track that delivers an electrifying burst of thrash-infused metal. The scathing vocal style adding an extra touch of intensity to things.

Evade the Throes has a nastier death metal edge but a chorus that features a clean, building vocal drone that certainly sounds quite unique. Though it is the following Lifetakers that really turns the heat up. A thrashy and energetic juggernaut. A highlight of the album, it’s easy to see this track killing it in the live environment.

Blackout then slows the tempo down for a darker sounding track but has exceedingly good guitar riffs and quite commanding clean vocals. Dead Prey follows that with a serrated level of savagery before Interlude allows everyone to take a short break. A break that is a 42-second drum solo. We really don’t get enough of them on records these days.

Call it an interlude or call it an intro for the chunky and hacking head-banger that is Blinding Reality. A frantic and wild listen that exudes so much energy, it is exhausting.

Desolate Embers then showcases a longer and more in-depth listen with a melodious start and clean singing. Leading to an eruption of heavy metal before dropping the tempo again. Back and forth, it goes and it’s awesome.

Up to the penultimate track, the fast-paced thrash and death combo is back for Hand That Feeds Hypocrisy. Before the album closes out with the enormous riffs and chunky heaviness of the title track. A track that really sees Jackal’s Backbone leaning into their death metal side while still having their unusual fusions ever present.

It’s a hell of an album. A debut that stands tall.

Jackal’s Backbone – Red Mist Descending Full Track Listing:

1. Release the Kraken
2. Evade the Throes
3. Lifetakers
4. Blackout
5. Dead Prey
6. Interlude
7. Blinding Reality
8. Desolate Embers
9. Hand That Feeds Hypocrisy
10. Red Mist Descending

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook