Eight years after their last album, Nails reappear as an almost entirely different band. Guitarist and vocalist Todd Jones is now joined by Warbringer drummer Carlos Cruz, current Despise You bassist Andrew Solis and Ulthar guitarist Shelby Lermo, resulting in arguably their most overtly metallic outing yet. The savage blasting of and the pit-ready, knuckle-headed grooves in the aptly titled are exactly what you’d expect from a Nails record, but the frantic licks of sound practically speed metal by comparison.
makes room for scorching guitar leads, and even the obligatory chugging closer has more of a showboating swagger to it than usual. Todd himself turns in perhaps his most unhinged, feral vocal performance, at the expense of any emotional nuance. On Nails’ 2010 debut, , he genuinely sounded like a man pushed to the very edge of desperation; here he sounds like a snarling beast, thinking no further ahead than his next meal.
Their last album, 2016’s , may have teetered on the cusp of self-parody, but this one almost embraces it. If the former was the glossy cinematic adaptation of ’s harrowing novel, this is the following animated series (wackier, less respectful of the source material, but more willing to take creative risks). This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – what lacks in depth, it more than makes up for in sheer energy.
Todd’s songwriting is as tight as ever, but the album as a whole feels rougher and (whisper it) more fun than their previous record, like a lurid, increasingly Neanderthal-minded caricature of the band’s trademark sound. In all honesty, it’s an absolute blast. Devin Townsend shares first new music from new album Powernerd: watch a video for the title track here.
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