It seems like it was just yesterday, but it has been nearly five years since Shaman’s Harvest released Red Hands Black Deeds back in 2017. An extremely impressive album, that honestly would be hard to top, on Friday, March 11, 2022 the band returned with their latest studio album, Rebelator.
Released through Mascot Label Group, this badass band out of Missouri are nothing but true to form with Rebelator. Offering up some enticing earthy melodic tones, Nathan ‘Drake’ Hunt lends his smoky vocals to lyrics that drip with meaning, while Derrick Shipp plays lead guitar right alongside side of Josh Hamler on rhythm guitar, and Adam Zemanek channels his inner animal on the drums. A total of eleven tracks, the new material is pure sunlight that streams in unhindered through an open window releasing its kinetic energy on everything it touches. Interested yet? Read on….
At the precise moment of quarantine, the world of music pricked its finger on the enchanted spinning wheel and fell into a slumber of suspended animation. Doors were slammed shut-no more tours, no more concerts, no more live music. Not here, not there, not anywhere. Absolute silence reigned and was the most deafening sound heard during these tumultuous times. Musicians everywhere were facing a grim and uncertain future at best.
Fortunately, the guys in Shaman’s Harvest were not paralyzed with the fear of uncertainty. Instead, they rolled with the punches. Despite the fact of not knowing whether they would ever tour again the group took this downtime to invigorate their musical repertoire. They built a work cocoon around them, rolled up their sleeves and began working. They worked on material that was in varying stages of completion. They meshed together new tones and melodies that made even jaded listeners stand up and take notice. One has to admire the testicular fortitude of this band to enter uncharted frontiers with the album Rebelator.
The title of this metamorphic album is redolent of the rebellious spirit that gripped the hearts of many during this time interval of social and economic angst. That said, Rebelator is a collage of powerful flowing music that is as pure in form as a 24 karat bar of gold. The album in its entirety hits a home run with its poignant reminders of what life used to be before quarantine– full of verve and prosperity and a side-by-side stark contrast to what it is now. Lyrically the album reflects on what psychological mindsets drive men over the edge and illustrates with glaring clarity the aftermath of a catastrophic event on the mine.
These ideas in mind, amidst it all, “Voices,” “Toe the Line” and “Bird Song” are all noteworthy tracks. “Voices” has an otherworldly quality and the sinister melody that creeps down your spine seemingly opens the gateway to a personal hell. Then “Toe The Line“ is the quintessential loud, frothy and roiling Rock beat and a rattle your cage drum sound which then alternates with soft as a feather tones. Furthermore, the lyrics resonates with the current mindset of going with the flow. This is while “Bird Dog” features a rhythmic drum beat that resonates with a hypnotic quality. The lyrics here focuses on the devastation found in Franklin County which used to be booming with industry and is now decremented. Now it festers with the sickness of drug addiction. How did it come to this? A tragic state of affairs,, these words are potent and drives the point home succinctly.
In truth, Shaman’s Harvest are a very interesting band. Like a chameleon they are constantly changing. It is easy to tell by the energy of the music that the band poured their hearts and souls into Rebelator. An album that sticks with you, Cryptic Rock gives Rebelator 5 out of 5 stars.
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