Metalcatto
Traditional wouldn’t be the way I’d describe our approach at MER Industries. If anything, I make sure our writers review things that sound new and fresh simply because I hate the past. However, sometimes you have to stop and see how far we’ve come in time. Enter Patchwork, a band that tries to bring a Heavy and Thrash approach from the 80s into our era with Scars. Are you ready for some nostalgic riffs? I’m not, but I can be soon! Let’s do this.
Alright, how to describe Scars aside from an energetic and almost optimistic heavy and thrashy effort? Well, maybe as what would happen if any Bay Area 80s band had Pantera-like vocals. And yet, there’s still a pinch of power metal epicness and melodrama in the way everything is delivered. The album is just as good for drinking beers at the pub as it is for swinging plastic swords in the woods. That’s not something you run into every day. So despite so many familiar elements, they’re combined in an interesting way.
Aside from those tough-guy vocals, my other favorite part of the album is probably the guitar tone. Yes, the riffs are catchy and easy to follow, but that tone really hits with old-school warmth and humanity. As in, I’m sure machines didn’t create this, but people with trauma and adversity in their lives. Besides, who doesn’t love those smacking drums that do nothing but go fast and loud? They don’t make things like this anymore! (Jeez, I’m grossing myself out right here). But fear not, I also have things to complain about.
Given Patchwork’s style, brevity is its best weapon for impactful results. Scars could’ve benefited from a shorter runtime by making everything tighter and more aggressive. I would’ve liked the band to visit more of the face they show in “Dive”—it’s hostile and straightforward. Either way, the pacing would’ve been even better with fewer tracks, especially when you’re visiting so many familiar places for anyone who’s into old Thrash. It doesn’t become repetitive per se, but it does take risks. Luckily, those guitar solos save the day.
So if for once you want to listen to Metal that makes you want to live instead of ending things at last, I believe Patchwork is the motivation shot you’ve been looking for. You’ll find what you need to do that extra rep at the gym or finally send that coworker to eat raccoon feces. Sometimes, you’ve gotta do what feels right to conquer your fears and go to the grave in peace. Alright! The mellow writing should go into another type of post. Give Scars a try and come back to me later!
Label: Independent?
Release date: May 16, 2025
Website: https://www.reverbnation.com/patchwork
Country: USA
Score: 3.5/5.0
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