Texas has historically been a hotbed of noteworthy metal bands and musicians. This means we have power in numbers and it creates endless opportunities for new projects to arise from old ones. The latest result of such tinkering is Evil United, a band that features Austin's own erstwhile Watchtower and Dangerous Toys vocalist Jason McMaster, along with members of Riot, S.A. Slayer, and the Murderdolls to name a few. Evil United is an interesting hybrid of resolutely traditional speed metal, crossed with some of the chunkier characteristics of modern extreme metal. With lead shrieker McMaster at the helm, the band drives an uncharted path across a blasted musical landscape while hitting an occasional bump or two.
More to the point, the parts of Evil United's material that work recall the relentless energy of Exciter and the discordance of classic Voivod and Watchtower. The parts that miss the mark sound closer to the latter-day doldrums of metal in the post-Pantera era. That may sound inviting to some, but it also creates a sense that the band is still wrestling with their influences. Moreover, the vocals are firmly entrenched in a style similar to Rob Halford on Screaming For Vengeance, and this leads to unintended competition between newer and older styles.
Despite the turbulence in the songwriting, Evil United showcases the kind of top-flight musicianship that one would expect from veteran players. The songs reflect an air of confidence that counters the stylistic conflicts and allows the album to succeed as a whole. Notable tracks include “Dawn of Armageddon” and “Taking Over the Grandmaster”, both of which are imminently suited for headbanging.
The production is another welcome highlight, as the music is punchy and overdriven just enough to stand up well in a time where mp3 transfers leech the force out of heavy music. The drums are triggered judiciously, the guitars and bass are balanced and appropriately fattened, and the vocals sit high in the mix in the classic metal tradition.
In all, Evil United has produced a solid album that is sometimes guilty of casting too wide a net, but it may prove to be just the thing for long-time metal omnivores. They have plenty of talent to spread around, and with a little more time they should be able to crack the code on their approach.
For more info: Evil United will perform a record release party at Encore Records on Friday, May 20. Check out more from the band at this location.
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