Blister Brigade – A Rioting New Breed

Blister Brigade
A Rioting New Breed
Label: Inverse Records
Out: April 25^th, 2025
Playing time: 45:02

Blister Brigade were founded in autumn 2010 by guitarist and singer Gustav Lund and drummer Jerker Avander. Both were probably members of a band called Psycho Derby, which had disbanded shortly before. Together with guitarist Cristoffer Strand and bassist Simon Lundström, they rehearsed new songs they had written themselves. The first live shows followed. The debut album ‘To Serve And Punish’ was released in 2013. Only Gustav Lund remains from the original line-up. Three albums have been released so far, the last ‘Slugfest Supreme’ was released in 2020. After the forced corona break, the band initially came together as a trio to record the successor ‘A Rioting New Breed’.

‘Let Thy Wheel Grind’ is a sacred organ intro, which is later joined by drums and guitar. And I also seem to hear the sound of jackhammers. The actual opener ‘Paradise Industrialised’ really gets going right from the start. First guitars, then drums. And after a scream, the riffs set the tempo. Singer Gustav Lund can keep up very well. It comes as no surprise that the two guitarists put the icing on the cake with their solos. What follows is indeed a ‘Stampede’. High tempo and driving drums characterise the song. There is a short, very short breather at the beginning of ‘Disturbing Lights’. Even later, the tempo is not quite as high as before. Melodic guitar hooks accompany the vocals. Of course, there are also guitar solos here. Right at the beginning of ‘Conceited Punks’, there is some heavy drumming. And again it drives the singer along with the guitar riffs. ‘The Duke’ is very rhythmic. Catchy guitar hooks. When the vocals kick in, it gets a little quieter. On the other hand, the Swedes move back into high-speed realms on ‘Bail Out’. A powerful bass melody can be heard briefly at the beginning of ‘Before I Go’. Later, the riffs sound majestic. The refrain is catchy and easy to sing along to. One of the highlights for me. And the tempo changes continue. Whether it’s ‘Small Town Tyrant’ or ‘Smokescreen’. There is plenty of variety and therefore good entertainment. Blister Brigade have saved the best for the end. The six-and-a-half-minute epic ‘Reborn A Better Man’ is somewhere between a ballad and a Metal anthem. And despite its length, it never gets boring. Impressive guitar melodies also ensure this.

I don’t know how long Blister Brigade have been playing together. But the band seems well-rehearsed, you can hear that again and again. The songwriting is very varied. The palette ranges from Speed Metal to ballads. And I was particularly impressed by the ballad ‘Reborn A Better Man’ at the end of the album.

Blister Brigade – Smokescreen: https://youtu.be/orEEnITU2D4?si=fkDY3Txu4EU_6fc4

Lineup:

Gustav Lund – Lead, Rythm Guitar, Vocals
Samuel Larsson – Lead, Rythm Guitar
Anders Gustavsson – Bass
Rickard Lundmark – Drums

Track list:

• Let Thy Wheel Grind
• Paradise Industrialized
• Stampede
• Disturbing Lights
• Conceited Punks
• The Duke
• Bail Out
• Before I Go
• Small Town Tyrant
• Smokescreen
• Reborn A Better Man