The Broadsiders - All Things Must End
Contra Records / Cadre Records
A while ago, even before The Broadsiders’ last EP “Nothing Sacred”, I already wrote a small preview on the band’s next, upcoming release “All Things Must End”. Little did I, and probably anybody else, knew that this Texan powerhouse would take the title so literally, because “All Things Must End” is indeed The Broadsiders’ swan song. Moving on, forming a new band, making new music… all righteous reasons, but very unfortunate at the same time. Especially after hearing their final effort, a mix of that classic, tough as nails The Broadsiders sound with exciting, new influences its members likely want to move onto in the near future to come.
Sure, Banner Of Thugs, Battle Ruins and a dozen more bands already flirted heavily with classic rock and metal riffs / solo’s in their sound, but I don’t think any of the bands that I know of (or can think of at the time I write this) took it to the level The Broadsiders have! I have a digital version of the album, so I immediately noticed the (total) running time of the seven songs on “All Things Must End”, but if you are an analog guy or gal I don’t think you’ll even notice that it lasts over 42(!!!) minutes! It never gets boring, simply because there is so much happening on this record that it will leave you amazed, flabbergasted and begging for more. A truly unique album indeed!
Opener “Terra Firma” starts off firm and boisterous, no doubt in that typical The Broadsiders’ style. But halfway through it turns out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothes (so to say), because that is when the heavy riffing alike Thin Lizzy or Black Sabbath starts to kick in! Since I already previewed the album I knew what to expect, but the combination of their thunderous, old school sound with that electrifying hard rock of the 70’s I grew up with through my dad is just pure awesomeness to me! It makes me fired up, while the endings of “Conquest” (violin) and “Lazarus” (acoustic guitars) are a beautiful silence within the storm. A storm that peaks with “Tip Of The Spear” and “Executioner”. The first, lasting 7 minutes and 35 minutes and the latter, lasting a mind blowing 8 minutes sharp, are the two longest lasting tracks on “All Things Must End” and the boys from Austin give it their absolute everything (literally) on these epic scorchers! Fuck!
I am impressed, to say the least, by The Broadsiders. These guys came from far, but slowly but steady achieved quite a lot in their ten years of activity and they now do what feels right to them, stop at their absolute peak. I take my head off for that. I also take my hat off for Contra Records (and Cadre Records of course) that they had the guts to release an album by a band that won’t exist anymore nine days from today (as they play their final show / record release party on the 7th of January) with such an amazing final result to it. Because the beautiful artwork on the gatefold sleeve and the fantastic color variations of the vinyl gives both The Broadsiders and their final epos “All Things Must End” the worthy farewell it deserves!
