Blood In The Gears starts appropriately enough with the revving of a Harley engine, then rumbles into “The Man Named Hell,” a groovy mid-paced song with plenty of punch and also plenty of catchy riffs and hooks. “Bring It Down” is balls out thrash, with galloping riffs and some screaming solos.
The Showdown still has a little metalcore in their blood, and likes the pinch harmonics (guitar squeals), but the Pantera southern groove is their main style. “Take Me Away” even has a blues vibe, with some lower key melodic vocals from David Bunton. His screaming vocals are also potent, and he transitions easily between harsh and melodic, evident on songs like the title track.
The first half of the album is strong and diverse, with a lot of different styles and tempos. There's a bit of repetition in the second half, but Blood In The Gears finishes strong. The punishing “Graveyard Of Empires” is a final blast of aggression, while the closer “Diggin' My Own Grave” starts acoustically before kicking in. It's a radio friendly song, and a good conclusion to a diverse and enjoyable album.
(released August 24, 2010 on Solid State Records)
