Much like the UK’s Bring Me The Horizon, Cleveland’s Salt The Wound, despite their preteen looks, deliver a decent take on At The Gates and Breakdown filled American metal. Not purely in the realms of say Suicide Silence or Whitechapel, but straddling the gap between say The Black Dahlia Murder, Sons of Azrael and All Shall Perish.

While bringing nothing new or creative to the genre, the presence of some decent dual riffs rather than forced death metal chaos give the album a little staying power. Tracks like “The Conformist”, “Gannon”, “A Slight Burning Sensation” and the title track contain some solid trade offs and layered, slicing riffs that show a more promising Darkest Hour based sound. But then again, a lot of the time, the guys seem as focused on gang chants, vocals and breakdowns on tracks like “Gloves” and “The Rape and Pillage of Spisville” give the album that all too familiar feel that will keep them from making too much of a dent in the genre. And I can’t decide is atmospheric instrumental closer “The End” is clichéd or creative.

The production is decent and isn’t forced or over done, but vocalist Matt Tanner is a bit over the top and a little to ‘reeeeeee’ obsessed at times. However, despite its middle ground sound, Salt The Wound are still likely to get lost amid the landslide of similar styled bands unless they raise their game a bit.

[Visit the band's website]

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