The North American continent is so long and wide you can be popular locally in a way undreamt of in the UK or Europe. Thus out of Jackson, Florida comes American Glutton a hard rock/ heavy metal band featuring three veteran performers: Raven Cain, a solo artist in his own right as the group’s vocalist, Tommy Harrison, guitarist for Denver rock legends Dogs of Pleasure, Dani Harrison, who established himself on the local scene as part of The Trainwreckers, plus more recent addition drummer Kirk Ferguson.
Together since 2016 they’ve developed a collective sound that owes a lot to Heaven & Hell-era Black Sabbath or eighties metal in general; albeit they’re uncharacteristically short on guitar solos for the form, Harrison preferring to pound away on a solid riff. Lyrically they tell us about the corruption to be found in this world, often cynically, sometimes guffawing over the madness of it all an on occasion skirting assorted mystical nuances that you feel probably take in Native American traditionalism through to Lovecraftian inspiration and even modern tropes like the internet-created Slenderman though none of this is ever quite stated.
Dish Served Cold is their debut EP, featuring five tracks in this mould. Opening with ‘Mr Strange’ it is pounding rock with a Sabbath/Alice Cooper axe to grind and an effecting psychedelic touch come the choruses. ‘My War’ is dark boogie as a primeval version of Marilyn Manson’s ‘Beautiful People’ as sung by Elvis with his swinging pelvis in the verses, and Axl Roses kicked in the crotch to reach the high notes of the choruses!
‘God Knows’ has a classic riff style opening followed by a charging shuffle rising towards a centre-pieced hook line middle eight and chorus. There is old school bash and crash drumming alongside percussive accompaniments, all driving an eighties styled powering guitar. The deep ended charge that announces ‘Sin City’ initially has us believing there is more of the same to come but in fact opens out with Cain cynically coming on like a circus ringmaster inviting voyeurism to the depravity that prevails in the modern world.
The record finishes in contrast with ‘Empty Eyes’. Harrison’s broken chorded acoustic rising anthemically and band coming in as it progressively builds. Cain veering between a deeper reflective croon and Bruce Dickinson’s siren wail. Its intensions are grand, epic and dark with a guitar solo that whirrs angrily like hornets.
There is a collective voice and sound present that begins to identify American Glutton across these five songs. It’s a solid effort hinting towards potentially more powerful things to come.
