Alabama Thunderpussy
Rise Again

"Rise Again" is the debut album by the Alabama Thunderpussy, released in 1998 on the legendary Man’s Ruin by Frank Kozik and reissued by the forward-thinking Relapse in 2004. Here we have Southern/Stoner Metal that will make your mouth water with its raw guitar sounds and the boozy voice of the singer Johnny Trockmorton, who knows well how to roughen up his throat with bouts of drinking. The 13 tracks that make up "Rise Again" are a continuous roller coaster of swirling Stoner/Metal southern guitar riffs like "Get Mad/Get Even" and the initial gum-punchers "Falling Behind" and "Victory Through Defeat."

There is also space for quieter pieces with clean vocals such as the melancholic "Speaking In Tongues," but immediately we take off like a tank with the powerful "Jackass," three minutes with a Southern-rooted riff that also makes room for a certain melodic vein but always irritating. They aren't as heavy as Down's "Nola," but they still know how to string together fast-paced tracks with characteristic atmospheres. It's as if you found yourself living on a farm and your favorite band (yes, Alabama Thunderpussy!) was playing in an old abandoned barn where you can smell the motor oil ("Podium" and "Fever 103").

Overall, a great debut for the Alabama Thunderpussy and kudos to the Relapse label for reissuing the album and changing the cover, which stands out for its splendid beauty.

Highly recommended if you like warm Southern sounds, typical Stoner/Metal riffing, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.