South of Salem's 'Death of the Party' - Album Review

One of my favourite discoveries of last year were the Bournemouth-based hard rockers South of Salem. I had seen their name on posters and mentioned in various reviews (particularly of festivals), but I was not truly familiar with them until March 2023 when I saw them open for W.A.S.P. at KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton. As much as I enjoyed W.A.S.P.'s predictable set, it was perhaps South of Salem whom I came away from the night more excited about. I purchased a copy of their 2020 debut album The Sinner Takes It All from the merch desk following the show, where it was signed by the band, and it soon become a firm favourite. I like a lot of the current crop of British hard rock bands, but quite a lot of them are very retro and overly bluesy - whilst South of Salem hark back to the British rock scene of my teenage years, when bands like Heaven's Basement, Glamour of the Kill, and Dear Superstar were some of the hottest new talents around. South of Salem stand out as there is a sleaziness and the occasional flirtation with a more metallic sound within their music - so much so that if The Sinner Takes It All had come out in 2011 it would have fit right in with the scene at the time. That being said, perhaps being different from the current crowd has helped South of Salem - as they are starting to make a bit of a name for themselves here in the UK. As soon as the W.A.S.P. tour was over they were back on the road with Wednesday 13, and I am sure that the success of both tours likely helped to solidfy the band's debut headline tour - which took place in October and November last year. Most of the shows sold out, and the Bristol show which I attended was an excellent night - showcasing just why South of Salem have been making waves despite the lack of any corporate infrastructure, label, or big-time management. They are a hard-working band in the old-fashioned sense and they have earnt every bit of their success so far. Releasing The Sinner Takes It All in 2020 likely did not help, either, but the band have been extremely busy in more recent times - and the album has certainly been given a fair shake as a result of their activities. As such, then, it was time for something new to capitalise on an extremely busy 2023 - and last week saw the release of the band's second album Death of the Party. A few of the songs were rolled out on the headline tour last year, but the release of the album marks another milestone in the band's history - and likely the biggest one yet. It also marks debut of the band's current line-up in the studio as there have been a couple of personnel changes since the release of The Sinner Takes It All. Guitarist Denis Sheriff (Consciously Dying) and drummer James Clarke (Metaprism) performed with the band for the first time in the studio here - joining frontman Joey Draper, guitarist Kodi Kasper, and bassist Dee Aldwell who all return from the debut. Sound-wise, for me, Death of the Party picks up largely where The Sinner Takes It All left off. Despite the personnel shift the band's core sound has not really changed significantly - with the writing duo of Draper and Kasper conjuring up another excellent slew of melodic hard rock songs with a metallic, sleazy, and gothic edge. Shimmering synths add depth where necessary, but in general the songs here are muscular and guitar-led - with plenty of choruses to ensure any future crowd will be drawn in.

If there is a point of difference between Death of the Party and the band's previous album it is perhaps that it is slightly heavier overall. The difference is not huge, but the riffing does feel somewhat weightier at times - which is exemplified throughout the opening cut Vultures. There is no slow build up here as the song kicks in right away with a driving riff, melodic guitar lead, and plenty of double bass drumming from Clarke. South of Salem have not morphed into a full-on metal band here, but the song feels a little crunchier overall - but Draper's trademark vocal hooks and the melodic approach to guitar leads from the previous album remain. The song's chorus is heavy like the intro, but the verses generally feel a little more restrained - with a simple guitar chug and a strong bass presence adding weight. Synths add a subtle depth, but the focus is, as ever, on Draper's vocals. The verses are generally sung in a somewhat lower register, giving them a slightly darker feel, before he lets rip a bit more during the chorus which is pretty hooky. There are better choruses on the album, but given the focus on heavier riffing the chorus hooks still stick in the brain after a couple of listens. The tough riffing gives the chorus a real kick, though, and the subtle use of guitar leads throughout act as additional harmonies to Draper's delivery. A lengthy guitar solo trade-off brings the best out of Kasper and Sheriff, too, and Vultures gets the album off to a strong start. For me, though, Static is better - and the next two songs are up there with the best that the debut album had to offer. The riffing here is more grinding, with some pinch harmonics adding a metallic edge, but there is a groovy approach taken - with snaking melodies and the occasional stop-start section which highlights Aldwell's bass nicely. As such, the verses feel pretty organic. The riffing is grounded and the tone from the bass only adds to the heaviness - but the chorus sees the sound open up with more a prominent synth backing, more guitar leads, and some poppier vocals from Draper. He is a very versatile vocalist who is perfect for the hybrid sound that South of Salem go for. He never sounds lightweight, but he can immediately wrap himself around a poppier hook - and the massive chorus here is a great representation of this ability. Static has one of the album's best choruses as a result, and another excellent solo section builds on the groovy riffing from the verses to lay down something slightly more bluesy. Another real favourite of mine here is Jet Black Eyes, which, more than ever, feels like the sound of the band's first album. Despite a crunching guitar rhythm throughout the song feels a little lighter than the opening two tracks - with more of an emphasis on guitar leads and harmonies throughout to accent Draper's vocals. Speaking of Draper, his verse delivery here is somewhat more restrained - and there are some subtle effects on his voice to make him sound a little distant. This works well, though, and it helps the chorus to really pop when he kicks in fully - and the more prominent keyboard use here again gives the chorus a huge sound. It is the sort of song which only needs one listen to fully appreciate as everything here is based around the big chorus hooks. Everything builds up to the chorus sound-wise, and I can see the track becoming a real live favourite as a result.

Stitch the Wound utilises some similar vocal effects as the previous song, but overall the piece feels much heavier. The opening guitar riff is more weighty than that of the previous song and this more metallic feel continues on throughout. The distant-sounding vocals have a different effect this time, too, and some subtle, ethereal vocal harmonies whip up a somewhat creepy vibe during the crunching verses. This allows the heavier guitar riffing to shine a bit more overall - and the band's slightly heavier sound on this album is showcased nicely here. The chorus is another strong one, too, and it takes the band's usual love of a good hook and places it against a somewhat heavier backing - despite the aforementioned creepy vibe being retained thanks to the synths. The guitar solo section doubles down on the heaviness, though, with a fast-paced shredded guitar performance set nicely against plenty of double bass drumming from Clarke. This heaviness continues throughout lead single Left for Dead, which focuses more on chunky riffing and a heavy feel than anything else the band have ever done. It actually took me a few listens to fully appreciate the song when it was first released last year, and I was not sure about it at first, but now it is another favourite thanks to its relentless feel riff-wise and subtler approach to the band's trademark melodies. At first the chorus did not grab me all that much, but that is not the case now. The guitar melodies mixed into the background really help it to pop, whilst Draper's grittier vocal delivery suits the heavier riffing. There is perhaps less light compared to shade here, but I have grown to like that about the song - and it is good to see the band shaking things up somewhat. Hellbound Heart moves away from this more overt heaviness somewhat and instead goes for something a bit more dynamic overall - and gives the synths which usually sit in the background more of a staring role. The song's opening, whilst still riffy, is characterised by a sparkling synth melody. This melody returns throughout the song to provide a solid hook. Some of the bands from the aforementioned rock scene of my teens started using synths in a big way towards the end, but South of Salem have not gone down that path yet - despite their prominence here (and later in the album). I like their inclusion here, though, and it helps the song to feel a bit different - as do the slower verses which feature clean guitar melodies and a more emotional Draper vocal. The chorus is more typical of the band's core sound, though, so it ticks a lot of different boxes for me. Bad Habits (Die Hard) returns to a heavier sound and the track has a bit of a sleazy edge - but it actually reminds me quite a bit of Glamour of the Kill. Some of Draper's vocal inflections during the chorus, which also features potent gang vocals, are very reminiscent of the missed York-based band - and the more metallic riffing and overall approach is also very similar. This song is probably the closest that South of Salem have come to that old sound, but hearing the song really reminded me why I fell for the band so hard when I saw them live last year. There is something nostalgic for me about them even though they are very much their own band - as there are points of difference, too. I am just glad there are still bands playing this sort of music and, given their trajectory, South of Salem could well end up being the best of the bunch.

The album's title track follows and it ups the pace somewhat - returning to the band's core sound in a big way. The hard-driving riffing certainly sets the tone from the off, but the song is one that manages to remain extremely hooky despite the pace and the crunching riffing. The chorus certainly harks back to the previous album, but the pace and reliance on more double bass drumming feels more rooted in this album - so it is a good mix of everything that has made the band great so far. The snappy chorus is one that is likely to become a real favourite of fans after a few listens - and I like the chanted vocal refrains which are used at the end of some chorus renditions. These have a somewhat creepy nursery rhyme feel, which is different for the band, and it helps the track to stand out further from the crowd. Penultimate cut A Life Worth Dying For is somewhat similar, but the track feels more mid-paced overall - despite the retention of the heavier riffing from the previous song. If anything, though, this song is a perfect representation of the album's core sound. The opening riffing is quite heavy with some busy drum fills to bulk it out, whilst the verses go for a slightly more stripped back, groove-based sound which build towards an expansive chorus that is poppier and given a sheen by a synth backing. By this point the band's sound is well-established, and there is not really anything particularly different about the song - but another excellent chorus helps it to stick in the brain. The band never fail to produce a strong chorus and this is another example of their craft - whilst a slow-burning, wordless vocal-led section briefly changes the tone slightly before another shredded guitar solo injects some pace into what is otherwise a pretty mid-paced and crunchy track. The album comes to a close with Villain, which does actually feel a bit different from the rest of the songs here - despite still sticking to the band's formula. When I first heard the song I was not sure that I liked it, and it is still probably my least favourite here, but I do like it quite a bit now - despite its more synth-heavy sound and a general lack of big riffing. There are some riffy moments here, but generally the synths dominate which means that the band's usual grit has had its edges rounded off. After a few listens, though, I do think that this works quite well. It still very much sounds like South of Salem, but I think that the band excel when they let the heaviness shine through. I really like how the band use synths generally, and I mentioned earlier how many of the older bands South of Salem remind me of tended to get more synth-heavy as they moved along, so hopefully Villain is more of an experiment or a point of difference rather than a sign of what is to come. Despite that, though, I have grown to like the song - as it gives the album a change of pace as it closes out and the chorus is still as memorable as ever. I listened to The Sinner Takes It All an awful lot last year and I can see myself listening to Death of a Party a huge amount this year. It is the sort of album that just goes down well thanks to the riffing and the massive choruses - and it is great to see that The Sinner Takes It All was not a fluke. I really think that South of Salem have what it takes to make a real name for themselves and this album will hopefully be the next step on that fulfilling journey.

The album was released on 19th January 2024 via Spider Party Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Jet Black Eyes.