Under Review

Bison B.C.

Dark Ages (Metal Blade)

Review By Mark PaulHus

Vancouver thrash masters Bison B.C. somehow managed to take time out of their relentless tour schedule to hole themselves up in the Hive with local wizard Jesse Gander and pound out some metal. The end result is seven massive tracks of Bison B.C.’s signature epic thrash that dwarf their two phenomenal previous releases. Dark Ages is laden with huge riffs, punishing beats, airtight rhythms and demonic howls and growls. Each track is a dark, ugly and bloody fun journey, none clocking in less than five minutes and many going over six. “Stressed Elephant” slowly eases you into the darkness, and then tears your head off at the bridge, while “Fear Cave” blasts off immediately into the abyss where Dan And is waiting to grind his voice into your nightmares. The pace of the album rises and falls flawlessly, weaving through generations of metal. Dark Ages will hammer itself into your head as the masterful production consumes the room while vocalist James Farwell wails, “make it go louder!” Once again, Bison B.C. have managed to make a serious metal album without taking themselves too seriously. The road has made men of these punks from East Van and this album is sure to gain even more respect in the metal community.