Jesus and The Gurus- King ov Salo

ARTIST: Jesus and The Gurus

ALBUM: King ov Salo

LABEL: Black Rain Records

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 6-20-07

At first listen, subtlety doesn't seem to be Jesus and The Gurus' strong point. Between the bluntness of songs like "Hail Satan," the overly simple lyrics of "Sometimes," and a penchant for doom metal guitars and reverberating church bells, it's tempting to write the Swiss band off as a typical shock rock outfit with a fetish for Black Mass imagery. Look past the over-the-top metal moments, though, and there's some interesting stuff here, thanks mostly to some subtle influences from gothic folk acts like Death in June. "March to Hell," in particular, alternates nicely between moody folk and gloriously orchestral goth metal bombast, and "Dust to Dust" combines martial drums with folksy strums before bursting into grim, organ-laced rock. While Jesus and The Gurus don't shy away from programming, for the most part it's used to replicate traditional gothic and Medieval effects, like the marching percussion on the numerous militaristic instrumental tracks and the omnipresent church organs that give this album it's cathedral atmosphere; the exception is "Storm of Steel," a driving industrial rocker of a track that recalls the early work of Die Krupps and represents the band's best hope for a club hit. This album is still a little on the teenage boy theatrical side, and may not appeal to traditional goths, but if you enjoy showy crossover metal acts like Gothminister and Rammstein, you may very well enjoy what Jesus and The Gurus offer as well.

March to the Satanic beat online at www.jesusandthegurus.com.