STORMLAND - The Altar of War (Review)

Written by: The Administrator

Full disclosure: I have very little frame of reference for the thematic content that informs the Stormland brand. Gundam remain a mystery; my knowledge in this particular department is regrettably nonexistent.

That said, I am a sucker for art that serves as a lens and love letter to something that the artist is clearly passionate about. Indeed, sole member Justin Pierrot has successfully imbued Stormland with an immediately recognizable sense of excitement. I've always loved that the project has a lot of charisma and character, regardless of my personal connection (or lack thereof) to the subject matter at hand.

And, of course, Stormland serves as a reliable delivery agent for my most favorite subject of all: sick fuckin' riffs. The Altar of War, Stormland's new-ish EP, pretty much picks up right where 2022's The Human Cost left off, with the first three tracks exemplifying the solid foundation of combat-ready riffage upon which the band is built.

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On the first half of The Altar of War, there's a recognizable focus on hook-laden beefiness that sits on the more overtly brutal end of the spectrum, with Stormland consistently delivering riffs that plant themselves firmly. See, for example, the chunky slam-esque pummeling that drives "Short Telomeres." But Stormland is far from a one-trick pony. Familiar progressive and technical elements are on full display as well, with dynamic movement remaining the name of the game. Despite the technical flair, there's a distinct sparseness at play that allows the listener to hone in on what the guitar is doing at any given moment without distraction. The guitar's presence is marked by a stoic forthrightness. And lest they be forgot, the vocals are quite intelligible despite an implicit brutality. As much as I love a burbling animalistic delivery, Justin's voice is clear enough for lyrics to shine through, which isn't exactly a common feature in this line of work. And yet no aggression or oomph is lost in translation. Win/win.
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I do enjoy when Justin plays with effects to add texture and layers--the intro to "Anime Ja Nai," for example, sounds sick as hell and sets up the chunky riffage quite well. This particular track is a cover of the Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ theme, and manages to capture remarkably similar energy despite the explicit sonic heft. For all its heft, it is an absurdly catchy tune. From here, the remainder of Side B gets a little more out-of-the-box, with the two final tracks of the EP being remixed and reimagined versions of "Test Subject" and "Merida" from The Human Cost. The former amps up the dynamism with significant electronic flair, resulting in a pseudo-industrial vibe that fits the subject matter quite well. I'd love to see more stuff like this from the Stormland camp--it's a pretty damn unique sound. The latter of these remixes is a hip hop mix, with the inclusion of a thick funky bass and some crisp drums and absence of the crushing guitar and brutal howls are gone. It's an admittedly odd note to end the project on, but I can appreciate both the reinvented track sonically and as a representation of the ways in which previously released work can be reinvented and repurposed.

This EP feels in many ways like an addendum to Stormland's last album--the contents of The Altar of War would sit comfortably in a deluxe edition. While the EP's identity thus feels tied to an older project, that's far from a bad thing in my book. The Human Cost has some serious staying power, and indeed makes frequent appearances in my rotation of workout playlists. Over the past month or so, this EP has likewise proven a worthy compatriot in the ol' gym. Riffs this hard inevitably make me want to match the intensity. Bottom line: if you're consider yourself a fan of Stormland's prior work, you'll most certainly be a fan of what this EP has to offer. Similarly, if this review constitutes first contact, I recommend giving The Altar of War a well-deserved listen before checking out that back catalog! 

Stormland - The Altar of War was released April 26th, 2024. Find it here!

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