Superjoint Ritual
Use Once And Destroy

The latest project by Phil Anselmo doesn't excite, but it's not to be discarded.
The Superjoint Ritual, by his own admission, are now the main band of the vocalist, abandoning or at least sidelining Pantera and Down. This choice is very courageous when considering the profit Phil could make from a new album with Abbott and co.

His courage is partially rewarded.
Musically, the SjR offer nothing new or particularly interesting, but they do deliver a solid punch and engage the listener in partial headbanging. I say partial because sometimes the album drags on and then stalls, falling into dull melodies.
However, it must be said that when Anselmo sets the pace, the remaining members respond accordingly, creating a sort of dirty thrash metal, transcending into a punk-hardcore style, with some black metal touches.

The sound is expressed in a fast and furious manner, while not exceeding the limits of the group, which are those already mentioned. The tempos are high and the rhythmic foundation composed by the duo Haaga-Fazzio, on bass and drums respectively, explodes continuously, supported by the guitars of Kevin Bond and a novice Anselmo.
The new guitar duo sticks to nasty riffs, without attempting to incorporate any solos. The vocalist, unlike his previous work with Down where he delivered a warm and passionate voice, returns to the dry and aggressive voice reminiscent of Pantera.

The album is soaked in hate, generated by the desire to demonstrate the effort the group puts in, trying to keep the flag of "true" heavy metal flying high.
Unfortunately, as predicted, they don't succeed and produce an average album. The most interesting songs are "Fuck Your Enemy," "It Takes No Guts," "Everyone Hates Everyone," and track number seven "Message," which sadly runs out of steam in the end like the remaining 12 tracks.

"Use Once And Destroy" is an album to put on the stereo for stress relief while moshing. After that, you put it back, leaving it to gather dust. The title is quite fitting, albeit in a less tragic way.
The band's intention is to continue, with a new album scheduled for early 2004, but personally, I don't think it's a good idea.