Ov Sulfur - The Burden Ov Faith

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Las Vegas Nevada natives, OV SULFUR have been on a hot streak after supporting LORNA SHORE on their first “The Pain Remains” tour. “The Burden Ov Faith” is their first full-length album after previously releasing their debut EP, “Oblivion.” “The Burden Ov Faith” has plenty of features. There are appearances from Alex Terrible from SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, Taylor Barber from LEFT TO SUFFER, Howard Jones from LIGHT THE TORCH, Kyle Medina from BODYSNATCHER, and Lindsay Schoolcraft.

The first track, “Stained In Rot,” does a great job of preparing the listener for the oncoming auditory onslaught. Ricky Hoover’s ability to switch between several vocal styles at the drop of a hat is well displayed. The vocals are layered with clean singing and more abrasive deathcore vocals during the chorus. There are several big bass drops and even a synthesizer breakdown. Also, the requisite lead guitar solo is pure electric guitar wizardry.

“Death Ov Circumstance” startled me the first time I heard the first note. There is no introduction, just loud, synth-infused, full-on symphonic deathcore. That abrupt start and continuous intensity also made me feel like there may have been too many cooks in the kitchen. At times this track gets too over-indulgent. “Death Ov Circumstance” is the only track on “The Burden Ov Faith” that had that effect on me. The chaos is more properly balanced and controlled on the rest of the album.

Tracks six and seven, “A Path To Salvation?” and “I, Apostate,” run together with zero delay. “A Path To Salvation?” serves as an introduction to “I, Apostate. This track is synthesizer dominant and ends with a chorus of clean vocals. “I, Apostate” immediately follows. The synthesizer passages bookend the song well but also get lost in the mix when everything is playing at once. The simplistic chant that serves as the song’s chorus carries a lot of weight and the lead solo in the following breakdown is another example of sheer guitar mastery.

“Wide Open” features guest vocals from Howard Jones and the interplay with Hoover is a high point and possibly my favorite element of “The Burden Ov Faith.” This track has the lowest bass drops on the album and they punctuate the song well; however, some synth passages were overpowering. This is another track with a killer lead guitar solo.

The final song on “The Burden Ov Faith” is the title track. This one features Kyle Medina and Lindsay Schoolcraft on guest vocals. This track delivers on all fronts, from Schoolcraft’s harmonious clean vocals to the well-timed bass drops at the song’s end. Schoolcraft’s vocal performance is more than enough to balance out Hoover’s and Medina’s. The point when Schoolcraft’s clean vocals end and Medina’s growls and rasps begin, coupled with another onslaught of instrumentation, is perfectly abrupt. “Ov Sulfur” knows how to end with a bang or, in this case, a bell. The buildup to the final breakdown had me longing for a mosh pit.

While “The Burden Ov Faith” is not without its occasional flaws, these tracks leave no doubt as to how they got matched up with LORNA SHORE. I was fortunate enough to have attended a concert on that tour last year, and while I spent the majority of their set in line to enter the venue, they still left enough of an impact to make me anxious to hear this album. I can see how some metal fans will not enjoy the chaos or the use of what amounts to metal fanservice. In my case, however, I am a fan.

Songwriting: 9
Musicianship: 10
Memorability: 10
Production: 9