Charred Walls Of The Damned

Charred Walls of the Damned Review:

If you’re craving something new, something relatively obscure, something heavy and melodic, and something that kicks total ass, then Charred Walls of the Damned is what you want to sink your teeth into.

True, the self-titled debut album from Charred Walls was released nearly a year ago (February 2, 2010), but it’s a worthy listen and if you’re a metal fan it’s worth having in your catalog. To give you a mainstream reason to check it out, “Ghost Town” is on the Grammy nomination ballot.

Charred Walls of the Damned is straight up old-school power metal, but with modern production value and a pace that keeps time with what modern audiences wants. This means that it will appeal to a broad audience, from original Iron Maiden fans to basement-dwelling kids just discovering Trivium. Comprised of Richard Christy (Death, Iced Earth, Howard Stern), Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Autopsy, Iced Earth), Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth), and Jason Suecof (producer: The Black Dahlia Murder, Chimaira, DevilDriver), Charred Walls of the Damned deliver high-flying guitar solos, technical and fluid skin bashing with plenty of double bass, no-fret bass playing that seems a bit underutilized, and memorable vocal melodies that invoke the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

With Christy on drums, DiGiorgio on bass, Owens on vocals, and Suecof proving to be a capable guitarist, the metal pedigree here is undeniable and it would be hard to argue that Charred Walls of the Damned weren’t destined for great things. Despite being one of metal’s drum gods, Christy walked away from the industry in 2004 to become one of the indomitable Howard Stern’s comedic sidekicks. Still, he stayed connected, honed his guitar playing and songwriting skills, and penned the demo album that would become Charred Walls of the Damned. Despite the accumulated talent that Christy has assembled, it’s the vocal melodies on such tracks as “From the Abyss,” “Blood on Wood,” “Ghost Town,” and “Voices Within the Walls” that carries Charred Walls of the Damned to the finish line. However, the musicianship on “Manifestations,” “Blood on “Wood,” and “Voices Within the Walls” shouldn’t be overlooked.

It shouldn’t go unmentioned that the name Charred Walls of the Damned was actually born out of one of the pranks regularly performed on Stern’s show. While prank calling a Christian radio station, the host prayed for their souls so that they wouldn’t have to dig their nails into the “charred walls of the damned.”

As much as Charred Walls of the Damned is enjoyable to listen to, there is one thing wrong; it’s too short. After listening the album through, you’re left wanting more. Thankfully there’s a new album on the way, as Christy reported on his site on November 4th that he’s been busy finishing up the writing of new material.

Verdict: Buy it now.

Rock hard!