Cauldron – “New Gods” [Album Review]

New Gods is the newest release from the Canadian heavy metal trio Cauldron and, in case you are not familiar with these guys, they play a straightforward brand of unpretentious, classic heavy metal that is both energetic and fun.

New Gods is the group’s fifth album and, while they don’t reinvent the wheel here, I think they stay true to themselves and the sound they have curated over the last twelve years; they do it well, so why change? Archetypal, stereotypical metal comes to mind right off the bat, with guitars heavily soaked in reverb very reminiscent of the ‘80s NWOBHM scene. Don’t get the wrong idea though, these guys are no joke and all it takes is a few measures of “Prisoner of The Past” to understand that.

The songs are very riff-driven with super catchy, infectious choruses paying homage to the early days – some would say the heyday – of metal. The production is good, and, perhaps because they are a trio, it is not hindered by a ton of instrumentation. By today’s standards it may sound sparse, but I think there is something to be said for a stripped down sort of sound. The musicality is good and, vocally, I think it is exactly what I was expecting for this style of music.

Bask in the old-school metal glory of “Letting Go”.

Honestly, this is pretty much a no frills, no bells and whistles kind of record that is a solid listen all around. Not only does it give me the warm and fuzzies by making me feel nostalgic, but, I think it’s a good record in and of itself, and Cauldron do a great job carrying the torch for all of us old-school metal heads.

New Gods Track Listing:

01. Prisoner of the Past
02. Letting Go
03. No Longer
04. Save The Truth-Syracuse
05. Never Be Found
06. Drown
07. Together As None
08. Isolation
09. Last Request

Run Time: 41:02
Release Date: September 07, 2018
Record Label: The End Records