Southern Metal favorites, The Showdown, are back to what they do best. Pummeling riffs, explosive breakdowns, and hooks that will stick in your head for weeks. Back Breaker is the band at its finest, with years on the road, they have matured in their songwriting, their performances and their passion for all things heavy. Back Breaker covers all the bases, from Southern Metal, to Hardcore, to a hint of sludge. Cutting new ground, and perfecting the tried and true style of "The Showdown" is what Back Breaker is all about.
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THE SHOWDOWN MELDS INFLUENCES WELL| Posted September 29, 2008
It’s interesting The Showdown resorts to a title like Back Breaker for its latest release. The rest of the album—lyrical content, song titles, instrumentation—is much more thoughtful in its presentation and substance than simply slapping on a pro wrestling-styled moniker for the album’s identity.
Indeed, for those who look past the surface, The Showdown has released a Greek mythology-themed effort to describe the spiritual reality around us. The effort is centered around “Titanomachy—The Beginning” which means “War of the Gods” and sets an instrumental tone for the constant thrashing and pummeling ahead.
“You will not take what’s mine,” yells David Bunton on “Hephaestus—The Hammer of The Gods,” aptly describing The Showdown’s war cry. The opening tracks combine the varied time signatures and searing ’80s riffs of old-school Metallica (think Kill ‘Em All) with some newer metal influences. The trend continues throughout especially with the over-the-top “Infernus—You Will Move” and “Aries—I Am Vengeance.” The latter bears some rhythmic similarities to Corrosion of Conformity’s In The Arms of God.
Back Breaker closes on a slower, lumbering note of early ’90s Metallica with the metal-layered harmonies of “Medea—One Foot in Hell.” But until this point, The Showdown has sonically created a master battle. It’s an effort unafraid to pay tribute to its influences, yet confident enough to stand tall on its own. –Matt Conner
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from CCMMagazine.com. Click here to visit CCMMagazine.com today!
It's Like Metallica...| Posted June 17, 2009
... Except the lead "singer" growls more than he actually sings. Aside from that this album is actually pretty enjoyable. If you enjoyed The Showdown's previous album, "Tempation Come My Way" than right away you will be turned off by this record. This one is more aggressive and in-your-face. The guitars are harsher and the rest of the band are right there as well, delivering 45 minutes of face-melting, nostalgic metal with a distinct southern feel.