Tankard – R.I.B.

If there’s one band you can count on in the metal scene to deliver a great album, it’s Tankard. Though there have been slight changes to the formula throughout the years, and even the lyrics occasionally (not every single song can be about beer!), the band has largely settled into an effective sound. “R.I.B.” is the band’s 16^th album, and it sounds pretty much exactly like their last album. Tankard’s trademark riffing style is present on nearly every track; there are lots of mid-paced alternate picking sections (see the opener “War Cry” for one example), as well as tons of quirky, palm-muted riffs. Appearing alongside these riffs are Gerre’s aggressive and humorous vocals. His delivery is great because it always sounds like he’s telling a story with each song (like on “Fooled By Your Guts”), rather than shouting some incoherent ramblings.  

One thing that “R.I.B.” does experiment a bit with is creepy atmospheric intros. It shows up a few times throughout the record (“War Cry”, and the title track come to mind), and adds much-appreciated variety to the record, even if they are brief. Aside from this however, you can expect the typical fun that a Tankard record brings. As always, the band offers up some enjoyable and catchy lyrics alongside the thrashing they bring. Tankard is an exceptionally skilled songwriting unit, as the majority of these songs are memorable after a single listen. Tracks like “Fooled By Your Guts”, “Clockwise To Deadline”, and the appropriately titled “The Party Ain’t Over ‘til We Say So” are immediate winners, ranking right alongside anything else the band has done.

“R.I.B.” is everything you could ask for in a Tankard album. What that really means is that it sounds exactly like you’d expect it to sound. Even though Tankard doesn’t thrash as fast or as hard as some other bands out there, they’re a lot more fun than most of them. The songs come first, and that’s why the band is consistently putting out records that are worth buying, no matter how similar they may be.

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Highlights

"War Cry"

"Fooled By Your Guts"

"The Party Ain't Over 'til We Say So"

Final Rating

4.25/5 or 85%. 

Written by Scott