Screaming to the World

Once upon a time, when masks were reserved solely for costume balls, surgeries and Halloween, I got my ears whupped hard by São Paulo's Chromeskull, which at the time produced a rather sloppy and roughshod EP titled Deads Shall Rise. Fast forward past a slew of random singles to the present day, as the boys from Brazil return in force with a helluva rocking debut full-length titled Screaming To The World...much like I've been doing of late cresting the ever steep learning curve of a tough-as-nails Jagged Alliance 3, yet further turn based brain stormer in the grand vein of XCOM2 and Mutant Year Zero.

Following pleasantly mysterious, glockenspiel tinged intro "Now And Forever", the ensuing seven tracks cut straight to the chase thanks to their streamlined and direct full-throttle-ness which cruises within the acclaimed three-to-four minutes range. Despite such piece meal brevity, each features a plethora of gutsy, hard-driven riffs and wildly soaring, explosive leads. Cooler still, the bass and drums often take the forefront, plumply plowing ahead like a runaway bulldozer (recall Marvin John Heemeyer, of Granby, Colorado fame).

Except for reprised singles "Love Is For Fools" - whose cynical title reminds me of Tank's riotous and aged "(He Fell In Love With A) Stormtrooper" - and "Dog Soldiers", everything is hot off the press. Although filler and incompetence retreat from the front lines, I'm particularly prone to "Night Witch", "Drive Me Insane", "Dog Soldiers" and titular closer, "Screaming To The World", an activity I'll succumb to as long as I eschew "forgiving mode".

Make no mistake, Chromeskull is here to crack a few skulls of its own!