The question I get asked the most: “How the hell did you get in here?” The second most asked, “Are you going to clean that up?” Somewhere in those questions, though, is “Do you have any new music to recommend?” For that one, I always have an answer. That’s where Death Rattle comes in.

I’m not familiar with their previous efforts, but one doesn’t need to be when exploring The Moral Chokehold. The band is listed as groove metal on Ye Olde Encyclopedia of Metal, and while that may be apt, I would place them firmly in that “New Wave of American Heavy Metal” style. Take any track as an example, but I’ll begin with “Nietzche and the Fall” with its metalcore chorus. What isn’t metalcore is the rest of the guitar lines having a tinge of Gojira to them.

Further on, there is a palpable Lamb of God gallop to the riffing, specifically in “Social War Machine.” The chorus has a massive, meaty hook with another melody approach like Gojira. They don’t skimp on the tasty solos either as the one starting with slightly over a minute remaining delivers the final chorus on a platter meant to be consumed through your mouth butt.

Nothing is stale or all the same, though. Take for example, “The Light.” There’s a buildup for the first minute, but it is the opener. The verse riff is appropriately chunky, and I can’t help but feel as though the furious moments with less than 2 minutes remaining could have made a larger impact with some disgusting, filthy heft. That’s just me wanting everything to have a death metal production when not every album is death metal. Regardless, it’s a great track, and very indicative of the rest of the album.

I’ve listened to a lot of this style over the years and “Noctivigant” immediately makes me think of God Forbid. Does that have anything to do with the fact I listened to Gone Forever not long before this? No comment. However, the clean vocals sound like Doc Coyle, but are different enough to be in no way a copy. The finger-tapping does recall another band I’ve mentioned earlier. The final minute is where the track truly shines, though.

There’s something to be said for an album that’s not reinventing any steel but accomplishes its goal with exuberance. There are earworms for days if you’re into that kind of thing (No RFK, I didn’t say “brain worms”). If you listen to The Moral Chokehold, I believe you’ll be humming at least one track after as the hooks do get embedded. Maybe a new metalcore, or at least metalcore-adjacent album, isn’t going to get the loins tingling for a fair amount of our readership, but for those who dip their toes, check it out, and I think you’ll like what you hear.

[Visit the band's website]

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