Album Review: Warlords

Since 2009 Bulletbelt have been annihilating the eardrums of metal heads across New Zealand. In the eleven years since their emergence, they’ve seen and done a lot including international touring, band line-up changes and three solid albums including three EP’s and three singles.

Earlier this month they released their fourth album, Warlords, and it’s a hell of a force to be reckoned with.

While they’ve always remained innovators of their genre there is a definite step up with this nine track album than what you’ve heard previously. With the band’s emphasis of a more catchy sound, they’ve nailed it. The hooks and riffs are bigger, faster, longer with more melody and it seamlessly draws you in. With new vocalist, Paul Robert and guitarist Josh O’Brian (who is now a leading part of the band’s songwriting, having been in the band since 2017), there is a flawless unity that gives the band’s sound more of an edge. Paul Roberts really gets his chance to melt faces here with his range, and he can do it all. From the highs to lows and other inhuman sounds he emits, I think he’s just what Bulletbelt needed and he’s doing a fantastic job.

Picking a favourite track isn’t easy because they all demonstrate such prowess and complexity. Punishment of God is up there alongside Herodian Kingdom because it has a Burzum-esque brilliance that is delicate and unique with that larger than life sound. And that solo? Just sublime.

The guys should all be really proud of what they’ve created here. They continue to wave the metal flag becoming stronger and bolder with each release and I’m excited to see this new chapter unfolding.