Album Review: Spirit Adrift – 20 Centuries Gone (Century Media Records)

20 Centuries Gone is a collection of two new original songs and six cover songs that span the timeline of Spirit Adrift’s most foundational influences. Featuring artwork by Brian Mercer (Lamb of God, High on Fire, Mastodon), and mixed by Zeuss (Overkill, Crowbar, Municipal Waste), this release is a powerful journey through the past, present, and future of classic metal’s most exciting new band.

Spirit Adrift mastermind Nate Garrett comments:

I always thought it would be a cool experience to record some songs by bands that are foundational to the DNA of Spirit Adrift. These choices are obvious and on the nose to me, but maybe unexpected to the fans. That made the whole thing a lot of fun. A band like Lynyrd Skynyrd might not be the first thing you think of when considering Spirit Adrift’s influences, so the task for me became figuring out how to honor these great songs, but in the distinct Spirit Adrift style. To make the whole thing even more special, I channeled these influences and wrote a couple of new songs to kick things off. There’s a lyric in ‘Sorcerer’s Fate’ that mentions ‘past and future both aligned,’ and that became the concept here. The whole thing is presented in reverse chronological order. That way, you get a sense of where SPIRIT ADRIFT is headed, but you’re also taken on a journey back in time through our most fundamental influences. Hope y’all enjoy it!

20 Centuries Gone will be released on the 19th of August 2022 via Century Media Records.

There are two reasons to be excited about this album. The first, obviously, is the fact that it features new Spirit Adrift music. That alone is cause for celebration and then you have the second reason. Six cover tracks, six high-profile songs given the Spirit Adrift treatment and twists. Even before you hit play, you know this is going to rock.

Let’s start with the two new tracks; Sorcerer’s Fate and Mass Formation Psychosis. The former has an intro that calls to the heavy metal demon in all of us. The guitars screaming as they build up, the main riff stepping into view, the rhythm getting nice and chuggy and before you know it, your head is banging along with force. Whereas the latter has a slight melodic ring to the start, before the metal really kicks in. Yet this is also a track that has a cosmic feel that leans towards the fantastical. Spirit Adrift proving again that heavy metal is their forte and they’re bloody good at it.

With those two tracks, Spirit Adrift will certainly sate the appetite for more new music for now.

The first of their covers is a Type O Negative classic, Spirit Adrift tackling Everything Dies. A tough track to cover as it’s so iconic, much in part because of Peter Steele’s vocals. So, credit to Spirit Adrift for really going for something different here while keeping the core melody intact. Their version? A bit doomier, a bit more psychedelic and a bit more melodramatic. If such things were even possible.

It’s excellent. As is Spirit Adrift’s version of Pantera’s Hollow and Metallica’s Escape. The former really suits Spirit Adrift and they don’t make too many major changes to the makeup of the track. Whereas the latter is much fresher and far more modern sounding, albeit with the ‘oh so singable’ chorus completely intact.

The legends that are Thin Lizzy then get the cover treatment as Spirit Adrift deliver a raucous version of Waiting for an Alibi. Following that blast of fun with ZZ Top’s Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings, where it’s all about that rock and roll groove. Spirit Adrift paying plenty of respects to the masters while continuing to impress with their own fun spin on things. One of the funkiest songs they may ever do.

All capped off with some good ‘ole Southern sounds and a mouthful of Poison Whiskey by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Spirit Adrift definitely need to do more of this cover stuff as they’re bloody good at it. Add these tracks to the two new ones and you have a really satisfying album. A must listen for fans of this band.

Spirit Adrift – 20 Centuries Gone Full Track Listing:

1. Sorcerer’s Fate
2. Mass Formation Psychosis
3. Everything Dies (Type O Negative Cover)
4. Hollow (Pantera Cover)
5. Escape (Metallica Cover)
6. Waiting for an Alibi (Thin Lizzy Cover)
7. Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings (ZZ Top Cover)
8. Poison Whiskey (Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover)

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