The Great White is the new Transubstans Records release from the Swedish trio that call themselvesBig Bad Brute. Comprised of guitarist/vocalist Filip, Morgan on drums, and bassist John, these guys take one part '70s heavy rock, a healthy dose of '80s styled hardcore, and '90s grunge, for a sound ready to be rolled up and smoked for maximum efficiency. While they admittedly don't take themselves too seriously, and The Great White won't win any awards for originality, there's still plenty to enjoy here, from the lumbering riffs and Cromags meets The Doors styled vocals of the title track, to the menacing, brute force of "Cast in Dirt", and the doom laden dirge that is "Cyclops". It's not all bottom end heavy riff-o-rama however, as the band show a psychedelic side on "March Of The One-Eyed Horde" and the moody "The Greatest View" blends hardcore, punk, doom, and a touch of black metal styled guitar passages for an intriguing combination. "Leave No Orphan Behind" is the albums true 'doom' track, nearly 8-minutes of funeral dirges, the riffs heavy, the bass & drums pounding, and the vocals anguished.
Despite some solid moments, I'm left feeling a little unfulfilled with The Great White. Big Bad Brute are certainly heavy enough, and I think they have the makings of a very good doom metal band, but for my money I'd tone the hardcore & grunge influences down just a tad. Definitely a band worth keeping your eye on.
Track Listing
01 Cast In Dirt
02 The Great White
03 Trespassing
04 March Of The One-Eyed Horde
05 Cyclops
06 The Greatest View
07 Silence Sounds Like Guilt
08 Leave No Orphan Behind