Hailing from Elizabethton, Tennesee is a heavy metal 5 piece band known as "The Showdown." Their debut album "A Chorus of Obliteration" was released on Mono vs Stereo Records in 2004. The band members include: David Bunton, Josh Childers, Andew Hall, Travis Bailey, and Eric Koruschak.
If I had to describe "A Chorus of Obliteration" in one word, it would be energy. Through furious double bass fills, upbeat vocals, and pinch harmonics, The Showdown never lets your adrenaline stop flowing. Their formula is a drop-D pulloff frenzy with harmonized leads and a mix of heavy and sung vocals.
A Monument Encased in Ash (8/10)
The CD opens with their trademark chug-chug in "A Monument Encased in Ash." Their love of pinch harmonics and double bass soon becomes evident in this song.
Hell Can't Stop Us Now (5/10)
The song starts with a simple bass line, and then open to the traditional Showdown formula. Their Christianity becomes obvious in their lyrics in this song. It's their most cookie-cutter song with nothing special.
Epic: A Chorus of Obliteration (7/10)
Yet another cookie-cutter Showdown song. The lyrics sound like something from a Greek epic. Halfway through the song is a harmonized clean interlude, followed by a distorted tremolo riff that leads into a harmoized riff of the same melody as the interlude. The song ends on a heavy note.
From the Mouth of Gath Comes Terror (10/10)
This is the highlight of the album. Clocking in ay 6:28, there isn't any repetitive filler in this song. The screaming is brutal and energetic. Around 2:00, they play an incredible southern metal style breakdown. Expect lots of pinch harmonics and double bass in this part of the song. Around 2:55, they play with a start-stop style with fills in between. The breakdown flows into a harmonized tremolo riff with heavy screaming underneath. The song slows down to another harmonized riff. A seemingly endless double bass fill soon follows with "Stand, fight, the city is ours" over it. The next 20 seconds sounds like the soundtrack of a chariot fight, followed by what sounds like a victory song.
A Proclamation of Evil's Fate (7/10)
The introduction is more mellow than the traditional Showdown formula. However, after the introduction is one of The Showdown's heaviest songs. Full of start-stop, double bass, and harmonized riffs, this song will keep the energy flowing. The only part that brings this song down to a 7 is the repitition.
Dagon Undone (The Reckoning) (7/10)
Another one of the Showdown's heaviest songs. Singers trade back and fourth ofer a heavy beat and another seemingly endless double bass. The end of the song becomes more upbeat with an almost Pantera-esque solo following.
Iscariot (9/10)
The Showdown's most upbeat and radio-friendly song. It starts off with a very poppy guitar riff, and soon leads into the Showdown's traditional formula. "Tonight you die a traitor's death, you know no honor" seems to be the hook of the song, with heavy vocals in between. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, outro.
Your Name is Defeat (9/10)
This song starts off with pissed-off metal action. The Showdown's heaviest song. Blast beats, double bass, start-stop. It is important to have both earphones on for this song as the harmony is played in the left channel, the right channel, and then both.
Your Name is Victory (5/10)
This song crosses the line for double bass. The guitar solo is fast and relentless. Other than that, there isn't anything special about this song.
Laid To Rest (10/10)
The Showdown's ballad. The first half of the song is a guitar/violin duet. The guitar is well written and the violin accompanies it well. The Showdown's Christianity is evident in the lyrics of this song. The second half of the song is slow and powerful. If you listen closely, you can hear a piano underneath all that chaos. Next, The Showdown's plays their most beautiful guitar solo. Right after, they sing the chorus over feedback, and it blasts back into chaos. The distortion fades out, and all that remains is a piano until the song ends at 5:54.
Overall Score: 3.5/5
