REVIEW FOR MAY 6, 2004

RAMMER
SUFFER
SELF-PRODUCED, 2003
4 OUT OF 5
SUMMARY | GAY NAME, NON-SWISH MUSIC
 
First things first, I'm not fond of the name.  Given the wide variety of names available in the realm of extreme metal (okay, ninety percent of band names are derivatives of Judeo-Christian evil beings or Lovecraft terrors - that's their lack of creativity, not mine) Rammer is akin to naming a grindcore band Anal Pounding.  Even if you're great, people are going to be on your ass with derivatives of that same Anally Infected Death Sentence joke that's been constantly used since 1986.  I guess the name, such as it is, makes sense in a 1980's NWOBHM kind of way.  It's still 2004, though, and Rammer isn't exactly a sensible name for a band in a subgenre not known for its cultural sensitivity (although there's some gay tolerance given the overusage of the term 'fag.')  I realise how brilliant a statement this is coming from a guy who calls his webzine Unbelievably Retarded.  I'm a fucking liberal, what did you expect from me?  I BET YOU LIKE MICHAEL SAVAGE, YOU HOMOPHOBIC JERKS!
 
Anyway, Rammer gays - er, plays - thrashy mid-paced death of a decidedly old-school vein.  There's a bit of melodicism and David Kristiansen's vocals remind me a bit of Adam "Doom" Sewell's (probably not a coincidence since both throats are Toronto-based, though I don't hold that against them.)  Still, Rammer knows how to balance both the catchiness and the aggressive element on Suffer and the result is something that sounds like it could exist in the thrash world of the 1980's yet is modern enough and aggressive enough for 2004's marketplace.  The production on Suffer is very good and the whole "Toronto sound" that usually besets metal bands from this area (given that scene's tolerance for crap) is nowhere in evidence.  The lyrics are actually pretty well written and even the 9/11-based song ("WTC Inferno") comes off pretty well despite its terrible abab rhyming scheme.  "WTC Inferno," to be honest, is the best song related to 9/11 I've ever heard, not feeling forced or mechanical in any way (honestly, that's hard to do.)  Plus, Rammer actually makes nuclear references seem metal.  I'm not the easiest guy to impress with regards to metal lyricism (such as it is) but Rammer managed to do the impossible and make me give a shit about the lyrics.  Really, that's something.  Honestly.
 
To wit, Suffer is a very good EP and these Torontonians should be commended for their efforts since Rammer makes the Toronto scene (and the Ontario metal scene in general) a little more interesting.  The band name may not be the best, but the name's also appropriate for what Rammer does (in the non-sexual aspect, don't look at me like that you swish.)  I'm looking forward to Rammer's future output.  Great cover design, too.
 
RAMMER
47 Springmount Ave.
Toronto, ON
M6H 2Y5
CANADA
http://www.rammer.ca/
[email protected]