Band: Almighty Defenders
Label: Vice Records
Release: September 22, 2009

1. “All My Loving” – 9.7
2. “The Ghost With The Most” – 9.9
3. “Bow Down and Die” – 9.8
4. “Cone of Light” – 10
5. “Jihad Blues” – 9.4
6. “30  Second Air Blast” – 8.3
7. “Death Cult Soup n’ Salad” – 8.1
8. “I’m Coming Home” – 9.8
9. “Over the Horizon” – 9.5
10. “She Came Before Me” – 9.6
11. “The Great Defender” – 9.8

Comments: There are top shelf amazing songs on this album. And then there others that are a shelf below those. Unfortunately for a good half of these songs, they sound better live than on record. On “The Ghost With The Most” the lyrics work great with the rhythm…makes you wonder how the eff this was made in a four day framework. All of the singers on this work of art use their vocal skills in a highly appropriate fashion. For instance what would “Bow Down and Die” be without Cole’s voice on the verses? What would “Cone of Light” be without Mark Sultan? Speaking of “Cone of  Light”…it’s a masterpiece! It’s fast paced garage-gospel…reminiscent of early King Khan and BBQ Show minus the gospel. “Jihad Blues” is (at least partially) a commentary on 9/11 and Muslim extremism. “Just give me a one way ticket and a box cutter” screams a voice. Even the instrumental “30 Second Air Blast” is strangely okay. “Death Cult…” is just a more fucked up continuation of the previous song. More fucked up is better. The album as a whole would be better without these two filler tracks. “I’m Coming Home” is a catchy and swampy cover of a Mighty Hannibal song. The screams of “That’s all right” during “She Came Before Me” sound so so ancient. A great song to sing lead for my man Jared Swilley. “The Great Defender” is just a preacher doing his thang dubbed over a constant bass/drum part. Will we look back on this album years from now and say this was a revolutionary album?  Probably not. Not every year does a concept come out like this one. The whole Almighty Defenders shtick continues to amaze me and will for a while.

Grade: 9.4

Listen to the stream here. Then pre-order or buy the album!