HOLY DEATH TRIO - Death Rider (Mini-Review)

In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a rockin' and rollin' track.

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Written by: The Administrator 

Back in the throes of lockdown, we slumbering scribes ran an interview with Holy Death Trio, a (then) new act with only several singles to their name. A few years later, I come to the realization that in the slew of new music I completely missed the promo cycle of their debut LP, 2021's appropriately monikered Introducing​.​.​., which featured those early singles, and, in sum, turned out pretty damn well. In any case, I was excited to see a new track from the Holy Death Trio camp hit the ol' inbox, as a little vintage rock 'n' roll can go a long way in the heat of the summer. "Death Rider" is a short lil' tune but it does not disappoint.

Riding in with the dusty air of a tune destined to land on a well-used cassette, "Death Rider" moves at foot-tapping trot. It feels delightfully vintage--the channels are just wonky enough, and the vocals carry a raw and rough undertone. There's little complexity in the composition, but the guitar truly shines, with an extensive and borderline jubilant solo carrying the majority of the back half. Perhaps most importantly, the track doesn't feel overworked nor overbaked. Sitting at a tight 2:28 runtime, there's no fat to be trimmed. It's a wonderfully unpolished affair, and feels nostalgic without falling too far down the emulation road. Most importantly, it's a damn fun listen.

I'm excited to see Holy Death Trio continue down this road. If you're a fall of the old school rock 'n' roll sound and ethos, this one is definitely worth a listen. Check it out below!

Holy Death Trio - "Death Rider" was released August 8th, 2023.

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