SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS – SLAUGHTER ON FIRST AVENUE

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats
Slaughter On First Avenue
Rise Above Records

Uncle Acid returns with its first ever live album titled Slaughter On First Avenue. This stellar release captures the raw energy and occult-infused atmosphere the band is renowned for during their live performances.

The show begins with a rather unsettling public service announcement voicing the following: “Tonight you will be subjected to an all-out audio assault that will begin here shortly. There will be no respite from this until we release you. The group will show no mercy and will likely not communicate with you. There will be no dynamics and a complete disregard for expectation. It will all sound the same. Do you understand?”.

Recorded during the highly acclaimed Tales Of Blood And Semen tour, the album boasts a meticulously selected track list, showcasing the band’s most beloved songs. It’s apparent that Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats were firing on all cylinders during these performances, and the audience’s enthusiasm is palpable, adding an extra layer of electricity to the recordings.

Opening track “I See Through You” whips the crowd into a frenzy straight away. This is one of the band’s harder-hitting songs from their 2018 album Wasteland. It’s packed with freaky vocals and sinister riffs. The ear-splitting metal séance continues with offering “Waiting for Blood” from The Night Creeper album, an ominous half time mid-tempo track that could only send Uncle Acid disciples into a serious head banging trance.

“Shockwave City” stands out on this release as a behemoth with the band so incredibly in sync and grooving hard.  One could only imagine the hair and sweat flying as this track is being laid down with full force on stage. When the band unleashes “Pusher Man”, they once again seem to be REALLY feeling it. This track oozes with intensity and power that one could only properly witness live.

As the concert rolls on, the band delivers with one of their most beautiful songs, “Slow Death”. This track is moody and eerily slow, conjuring images of night-time city fog, possibly somewhere in London in the late 1800’s. The tone is desperate, macabre, yet somehow comforting. “Slow Death” is psychedelic metal comfort food.

Other standout tracks include “Desert Ceremony” and “I’ll Cut You Down”, however it’s not easy to pick favourites, as this is quite possibly their best release to date.

The consensus here is that Slaughter On First Avenue is a raw and true representation of the band’s identity without a net. The album perfectly captures the essence of the band’s potent brew of occult rock and doom metal with a nostalgic backbone. This release reaffirms the band’s status as one of the most compelling acts in the modern rock scene. If you haven’t experienced Uncle Acid live, you will quickly understand why they sell out everywhere they tour worldwide. Slaughter On First Avenue is a modern classic and a must-have in the Uncle Acid library.

Artist Links