Grey Britain

Personnel: Stephen Carter (vocals, guitar); Frank Carter (vocals); Laurent Barnard (guitar, keyboards); Perry Mason, Marren Fielinski (violin); Bruce Ruhite (viola); David Daniels (cello); Lee Barrall (drums).
Audio Mixers: John O'Mahoney; Andy Wallace.
Recording information: Rak Studios, London, England; The Farm Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
English hardcore hooligans Gallows made a huge splash with the raw, throwback hardcore of their debut album, ORCHESTRA OF WOLVES, but they were only just beginning. Their demolishing follow-up, GREY BRITAIN, is more ambitious, louder, and just plain bigger, with a metallic finish that betrays some hours listening to Slayer. Enlisting superstar heavy-music producer GGGarth, who previously helmed records by Slipknot and Atreyu, the band has polished up their sound without dulling their impact. "I Dread the Night" weaves teetering guitars through a jagged mid-tempo rhythm, and the thrash-metal tinged "Queensberry Rules" is like the furious son of Judas Priest. The biggest departure, at least for some of its running time, is "The Vulture (Acts I & II)," which begins as a genuine acoustic ballad before finally exploding. It's ample proof that the boys have some weightier matters, such as the precipitous decline of their homeland, on their minds.