Now here’s a review for something I wasn’t sure would ever happen again.

What is technically Superjoint Ritual is now just known as Superjoint. The band released 2 back to back albums in 2002 and 2003, toured quite a bit in that span of time, and by 2005 had basically split up. I bought both albums very shortly after each release and saw them live in December 2003 with Devildriver as an opener. I’ve always liked Down, but Superjoint was more of what I wanted as a 15 and 16 year old thrash lover.

Fast forward 13 years later to 2016 as a 29 year old, and here’s the 3rd album. Finally.

Right off the bat I’m gonna let you know that the production of “Caught up in the Gears of Application” is their dirtiest and most raw to date. It almost sucks, but that was always the point of the band wasn’t it? A Phil Anselmo presentation of old school hardcore, punk, noise, and thrash metal. Superjoint delivered a nasty mess of noisy awesome shit.

I firmly believed Phil’s 2013 solo album was gonna be the closest we’d ever get to another Superjoint album because musically it wasn’t too far off. I accepted it for what it was. I think what I’ve always loved most about Superjoint was that it always felt to me that it was the most honest Phil Anselmo music. Like THIS is what he’s most passionate about, which is why his solo album resembled them the most. It just sucked that it hit so hard and died so fast.

There’s nothing pretty here. Nothing very catchy. No tasty solos. It’s mostly just a fast, relentless, brutal ear rape. You get a second or 2 to breathe between songs before being pummeled again.

It’s best to listen to straight through, but if we’re gonna pick out some standouts: Burning the Blanket, Ruin You, Caught up in the Gears of Application, Sociopathic Herd Dillusion, Asshole, Rigging the Fight

I certainly hope there’s more to come out of all this and I hope to see Superjoint in action again!

#Superjoint #SuperjointRitual #CaughtInTheGearsOfApplication #Pantera #Down #Eyehategod #PhilAnselmo #JimmyBower #HousecoreRecords