Since 2016, the guys in High Reeper have made a name for themselves in the metal scene with just a handful of indie releases. With their first two records, High Reeper in 2017 and Higher Reeper in 2019, respectively, the band burned through nearly 100 tour dates. Along the way, they changed lineups and grew as musicians, people, and a band.
All of those experiences come to a head in their third record, Renewed By Death.
Like most metal bands, High Reeper is clearly influenced by Black Sabbath and various eras of Slayer and Metallica. But as they matured as musicians, they’ve slowly evolved into something else entirely. Gone are the stoner metal tropes and, in their place, stands a stronger emphasis on aggression and atmosphere. This evolution is apparent from the album-opening title track.
In recent years, more metal bands have taken advantage of being self-aware. It’s good to lean into the some of the corniness of heavy metal culture. High Reeper did their share of waxing earlier in their career, as their first two album titles are a great example of this. But with their new-found direction, that tongue-in-cheek approach is nowhere to be found. Renewed By Death gives the band somewhat of a clean slate. They can finally become what their fans knew they could to be: A take-no-prisoners metal band not bound by any tropes or cliches.
Lyrically, Renewed By Death takes on darker themes of moral decay and society’s obsession with violence.
Throughout their career, High Reeper has always delved deep into sinister imagery. However, this record is elevated by a new layer of aggression. This new focus makes the thrash influence of the first half of the record all the more satisfying. The arrangements are decidedly throw-back without veering off into outright tribute territory.
On the second half of Renewed By Death, this refined version of High Reeper comes into its own. After the shredding and piercing guitars of the first few tracks, the album exits into murkier waters. The riffs get chunkier, the rhythm section thicker, and frontman Zach Thomas’ Tom Araya-esque vocals take on more of a John Bush vibe.
While the songs still feature all the teeth-smashing moxie from before, the darker allure of the doom brings so much character to the table. The dry, Rick Rubin-inspired production compliments the direction, too. Nothing across the 8 tracks sounds multi-layered or over-produced.
Even though modern metal is having a bit of an identity crisis, Renewed By Death feels like a classic album.
From the retro cover art to the determined energy within the compositions, everything feels natural. This is the sound of a band not only experimenting in subgenres but pushing the envelope and exploring their own lore. High Reeper is new and improved. Perhaps this could be the shot-in-the-arm classic metal has needed for much of this decade.
Renewed By Death is available for streaming, download, and vinyl on Bandcamp and HeavyPsychSounds.com