Review: Feed the Rhino - The Burning Sons

 It's difficult to imagine trying to be told about the great new bands on the UK hardcore scene today without coming across some mention of Feed the Rhino. Having served as a force to be reckoned with within the underground scene in Kent, they really came into prominence with 2010's Mr Red Eye. So, now with a more mainstream following, the band may have taken the chance to give their sound a more commercial element to attract a wider following. Or, they could beef up their sound to make it their strongest yet. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.

 What we hear on The Burning Sons is the sound of a band looking to bring upon the world of the lesser-knowledgeable the sound that really sums up what hardcore is all about. And in the case of Feed the Rhino, it's all about bringing the pain in the most monstrous, most exhilarating and most frightful way imaginable.

 Every action from guitarists James and Sam Colley feels similar to being whacked across the face with the nail embedded mallet, and I can only hope that imagery conveys how brutal they manage to be. The earthly tones of Nothing Lost and Song of Failure both manage to give listeners are real inspection into the layers of dirt, blood and naturally conjured heaviness that makes up all that which the band strive for musically.

 This is only aided by the juggernaut vocal performance of their underground icon of a frontman Lee Tobin, whose crushing vocals sound like the missing link between Keith Morris and Barney Greenway. With a voice and a set of lyrics fueled by total rage and nihilism, there's little forgiveness to find in his path. 

 Yet, despite this array of whirlwind and breakdowns built out of pure steel, there is some kind of melodic expansion. The band have always said that in some way they are a straight out rock and roll band and in the likes of Flood the System and Death of the Swine the driving guitar lines and thrashing basslines of Oz Craggs, there is definitely a more traditional musical influence that can be picked up upon. The melodic moment really comes out on Razor, a bleak ballad laden with themes of doom, which goes on to prove that Tobin actually has a fairly gripping singing voice.

 So, Feed the Rhino prove with The Burning Sons that they do have some room for expansion, while managing to hold on to the traditional hardcore blasting with which they've made their name so far. And with this mixture of melodies and brutality, it's highly likely that they're going to be picking up a lot of new fans over the coming months. Soon being told about them as a great band on the UK hardcore scene will be unavoidable. They'll be topping everyone's list.

Feed the Rhino's The Burning Sons is out now via In at the Deep End. The band will play at Hevy Fest at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park on 4th August and will tour the UK in October with Gallows and Brotherhood of the Lake.