As the opening riff kicks in to the opening and title track “Hail Destroyer”, you know that this album is going to really kick and when the chorus vocal comes in, chanting “Hail Destroyer! Hail Destroyer! Hail Destroyer!” you really know that you wouldn’t rather be listening to anything else. The vocals are brutal but still definable and really full of character. Liam Cormier is a top vocalist and is completely unrelenting the whole way through.

When the band started out back in 2004 they aimed to create a sound that was a cross between The Refused, Black Flag, Led Zeppelin and Down. I can quite easily say that they have done so without ever sounding like a cheap rip off of any of them. The best track on the album for me is the groove monster that is “Lucifer’s Rocking Chair”, my god does that song pack a punch. It’s this track that really shows the Down influence in the group and what a great influence. This track is a beast and I am sure Anselmo and his boys would have loved to have written it themselves.

There is a lot of variation on this album and with the varied influences it’s clear to hear that diversity. With elements of rock and roll, stoner metal, punk and hardcore this album is able to attract a wider audience without alienating any one genre’s fans. They mix it all together so well, just like having your favourite pizza with all the toppings you want, all mixed together to make one humongous piece of utter girthy brilliance.

This album has such power all the way through and the end track “Zed’s Dead, Baby”(Recognize the film reference?) is yet another stonker. Cancer Bats have got a lot of style and class in their bag of tricks and it’s easy to see why their fan base just can’t resist but grow and grow and grow.