To be completely honest with the name Harlott and a cover that is very tame, featuring an Aztec medallion on the cover, I would most likely pass it over as another hair metal band like Steel Panther and the like… but holy crap what a mistake that would have been! Harlott thrashes with the best of them, most definitely one of my favorite albums I have heard in years; I think the name should be changed to Brutus ass-kicker cause these guys kick ass.
The brutality was forged from the mean streets of Melbourne’s Eastern region with four lads who definitely know what the hell they are doing.
They cite the Bay Area as their influence as I can tell without a doubt that Harlott follows in their footsteps as well as paving their own. I love Thrash metal as a teen loved the band that came out in the ’80s from the Bay Area and Germany. At first listen I had to check if these guys in fact were Aussie, they sound like Exodus, with a healthy dose of Kreator and Sodom thrown in for good measure, I’m glad Harlott are for sure Australian, which makes me so proud because the level of music that’s coming out of the country makes me excited because Metal is thriving and Harlott will go places rather quickly.
With 12 tracks on the album, Harlott have produced something that Thrash metal fans should hold up there with the best of the bunch, I know I will, the duals guitars are for me a standout along with the harmonies that guitarists Andy Hudson and Ryan Butler play and the alternating solos, the crunch and tone I don’t have a bad thing to comment on, for me it bloody awesome, but keeping up with these two are Tom Richards on bass and rounding up is Dan Van Tweet on the drums, these two have there work cut out keeping up but do a fantastic job. Another big standout for me personally is the vocals from Andy with back up from Tom, he has the style down pat, sounding like the masters of old, I can hear influences from Chuck Billy to Mille Petrozza.
For me, it is really difficult to pick a standout track but if I had to would be “Effortless Struggle” it ticks all the boxes and had me headbanging and moshing about the room like a crazed idiot.
I love this album, I am so glad I had the opportunity to review it, a real gem in my opinion. All hail Harlott, if I have the chance to see them live, I will be the bald one out the front requiring a neck brace in the morning.
Harlott: Facebook
Release Year: 2014
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Adrian ‘Dren’ Barham
