Bloodsimple – Red Harvest

Label: Reprise
Rating: 4 Guns

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Whatever happened to seminal New York hardcore/straight-edge band, Vision of Disorder?

One day they were flaunting a new sound and a new deal with TVT Records, and the next day they were gone. They eventually re-surfaced on Warner’s Reprise Records under the name Bloodsimple, sporting a Nu-Metal sound comparable to Killswitch Engage-meets-Black Flag, and released “A Cruel World,” one of the best albums of all times.

How does a band on a major label in today’s ever-changing music industry top the best album of all time? By just plain balls-out heavy rock and a little bit of experimentation!

Bloodsimple - "Dead Man Walking"


“Red Harvest,” Bloodsimple’s Sophomore album takes you on a horrifying yet pleasurable journey into the fundamental darkness of the world. Ballsy as it is experimental, “Red Harvest” laughs in the face of the Sophomore jinx(or college Sophomore if you count the V.O.D. albums.) Picture a melodically catchier Pantera with a sense of storyline, and you’ve got “Red Harvest.” They’ve shaken off the Nu-Metal sound with extra brass, and… guitar solos?

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, guitar solos! (An endangered species in post-80s music) appear several times on “Red Harvest.” Craziness!

“Ride With Me” opens the album. It starts off with a brooding and bluesy intro, picking up from where Jim Morrison left off on “The End.

Instead of Jim Morrison, Tim Williams, rasps out a nastier version of Morrison’s spoken word interlude:

“The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on. He took a face from the ancient gallery. And he walked on down the hall. He went into the room where his sister lived, and...then he Paid a visit to his brother, and then he He walked on down the hall, and And he came to a door...and he looked inside ‘Father,’ ‘Yes son,’ ‘I want to kill you,’ Mother...i want to...fuck you.”

Instead of getting slower, Bloodsimple’s version get progressively harder and nastier, a must-listen for any Doors fan.

They then rip into the title track. This song is as balls out as possible, and breaks into another Morrison-influenced spoken work rant on the bridge.

“Dark Helmet” puts any Metal band to shame with wall-of-sound guitars, but will probably scare your girlfriend.

“Dead Man Walking” and “Out To Get You” the two strongest songs on “Red Harvest,” follow suit with the direction Bloodsimple was moving in on the “A Cruel World” disc. Nu-Metal at its finest, complete with sing-along choruses, swearing, and head-banging guitar.

“Suck It Up,” which sounds like an updated Pantera song, bends and breaks the rules of song-structure, and also your neck if you headband too hard while listening to it.

“Death From Above” sounds like a slayer song, except more current.

“Whiskey Bent And Hellbound,” another experimental song, delves deeper into spoken word, and interlaces that style, channeling Phil Anselmo on the choruses, and singing southern-style over the piano and guitar-ladden bridge, and delves alittle bit into Jazz, complete with steel string guitars. How did they jam all that random shit into one song? Not sure, but it works quite!

Bloodsimple channels old tourmates, the Deftones on “Killing Time.” Thinking man’s metal at it’s finest, this song is quite the journey.

“Truth (Thicker Than Water)” is the token power ballad, but don’t be fooled by the word “token.” Another slight delve into poetic lyrics interlaced with acoustic guitar and bellowing choruses. This song makes the album.

“Numina Infuscata” closes the album with a bang. Enough said.

Like this band? You may also like: Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Pantera, Slayer, Deftones.

Bloodsimple – “Out To Get You”


Meet the Press: Other Bloodsimple Articles.

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