Cancer Bats - Birthing the Giant

A quick browse over Cancer Bats' track listing would appear to confirm the initial impression that these are guys having plenty of fun in making a rock record: 'Ghost Bust That' and 'Pneumonia Hawk' are particularly attention grabbing titles. The sound of Cancer Bats is along the lines of The Bronx, but without the New York cool and with a healthy dose of Southern Fried 'Hell Yeahs' liberally smattered throughout the vocals. Opener 'Golden Tanks' is a pick-squealing romp of metal riffery interspersed with some slamming punk chord progressions. Vocalist Liam Cormier is similarly stuck somewhere between the Hardcore tradition and a Jack Daniels-soaked James Hetfield impression. If you can imagine some middle-of-the-road Pantera songs played by DC punks then you're half-way there: derivative but good fun. [Jamie Borthwick]