Tribal Gaze – The Nine Choirs (Review)

As they say, “Everything is Bigger in Texas.” This definitely applies to the music scene as well. In the last few years, I’ve noticed how many good bands actually come out of Texas. I think it was Frozen Soul who mentioned Tribal Gaze a while ago and I checked them out immediately. With their EP Godless Voyage the US guys were able to make some noise in the underground scene. Almost one year later Tribal Gaze are back with their debut album The Nine Choirs, which will be released on September 16th via Maggot Stomp. 

During the last weeks this record was on rotation nonstop! Sometimes you realize quite fast how good an album can be. After a short intro you are directly overrun by the demolition commando named Tribal Gaze. The guys play uncompromising death metal, which in some places has slight influences of hardcore punk.

The opener “Cold Devotion” clearly shows which way the quintet from Texas has chosen for their debut. Maximum brutality! The guitar sound is so heavy that you are literally pressed against the wall. The vocals of McKenna Holland sound a lot like Nate Rebolledo from Xibalba. And everyone likes Xibalba, right?

I enjoy it when bands find their own sound quite early. This seems to be exactly the case here. Throw Xibalba, Morbid Angel, Incantation and Obituary into the blender and you get a stunning hard smoothie that the guys from Texas must drink regularly for breakfast to sound like they do on this album. As I said before, the opener describes the record perfectly and shows exactly where their path is going. 

Especially positive to mention are the guitar solos. Compared to the last EP, this element is enhanced by the band once again. “And How They Wept For Eternity” and “Jungle Rituals” are good examples of how Tribal Gaze manage to write technical and catchy solos that capture the zeitgeist of 90s death metal nostalgia.

I am even less surprised that Taylor Young did the mix for the album. His handwriting is definitely recognizable here. If you want to record a disgusting Death Metal or Hardcore album, this is the guy you should go for. 

“To Gather In Its Presence” has a cool punk influence, especially the drums show a good sense for a stomping groove. In general, the tempo changes between blast beats, neck-breaking riffs and slow squelching parts are phenomenal. The interplay between guitars and drums forms a deadly symbiosis.

“As A Thousand Voices Sing” is probably my favourite song on the album. It contains all the components that I love on the record. Whether it’s the riffing, which reminds me of Demilich in some places, the huge break down or the short but powerful bass solo towards the end of the track.

The Nine Choirs is hard to beat in terms of heaviness. Tribal Gaze have created a true monster. It is always amazing that after more than 45 years of death metal history, bands still find a way to write brutal and grimy music. The future belongs to Tribal Gaze. 

Go listen to The Nine Choirs right now!