Local Love: Review of Whiskey Supercharger

Whiskey Supercharger has had its share of notoriety since their formation around 2011 but they’ve also had their setbacks due to a series of revolving lineups. While the band’s debut EP feels especially short with their history in mind, it does make for an enjoyably heavy listen.

 While Whiskey Supercharger is firmly set in the field of groove metal in the vein of Pantera and Lamb of God, there is more going on than a mere five songs would suggest. The speedy “Until Morale Improves” and the breakdown heavy “Sylvia” each show hardcore influence while a degree of melodic death metal can be heard on “Fuck Don’t Breed” and “Unnatural Ways.” The slower paced “Worship Nothing” is also worth noting as the jumps between clean verses and percussive choruses aren’t as stilted as they could’ve been.

The strong musicianship present also keeps the band from falling into insufferable bro metal trappings. Drummer Travis Manning puts on the most powerful performance on here with “Fuck Don’t Breed” in particular starting off with an effective series of blasts. Vocalist Jim Dismal’s aggressive approach also works well as he is somewhere between hardcore shout and death growl without fully committing to either and offers an interesting drawl on the spoken verses of “Worship Nothing.”

As someone who generally avoids groove metal and related subgenres, Whiskey Supercharger subverts many of its associated trends on their debut EP. While the riffs are pretty simplistic, the writing keeps them from sounding dull and the inspired performances elevate this above your typical tough guys posturing. Here’s hoping they keep the momentum going and continue to impress in the near future.

Highlights:
“Until Morale Improves”

“Fuck Don’t Breed”

“Sylvia”