New Band: Horn of The Rhino

Also seen on Heavy Planet:

For a band that's labeled as a thrash doom metal on The Metal Archives, I really can't say I heard much thrash at all. Horn of the Rhino is a pretty solid doom band, and although I was surprised to see them forming, getting signed and releasing a full-length album all in 2010, I then realized that it is the band Rhino, just under a new name (for legal reasons it says). Oh well, Rhino is new to me too, so it's all kosher.
I'm not going to lie, what drew me to this album was the artwork. Something about a pregnant skull-faced woman speaks to me. Maybe I'm deranged or secretly a serial killer, but bitchin' artwork is bitchin' artwork. Just like the Infectious Grooves and The Beards enticed me with a name, Weight Of Coronation drew me in from the picture on the cover. It's also how I shop for books, and it hasn't let me down yet (take that you naysayers!).

Anyway, Horn of The Rhino is a pretty decent doom band, with a tiny bit of fuzz that would be prevalent in a stoner band - but we are not calling this one stoner. Weight Of Coronation is their 1st/3rd (depending how you look at it) release and it's pretty damn enjoyable. There is a little for everyone here, some soul-crushing doomy depression, some pumped-up faster bits (I assume that this is the thrash that The Metal Archives was talking about, but I wouldn't call it that per se), and a bit of growl for the sludge fans out there. What is good about the album is that although it touches upon all of these styles and sounds, it doesn't dive too deep into any single one. This is also one of the weak points of the album, because it does switch around, it doesn't really take enough time (sometimes) to fully envelop the listener. Their main stand-out is also their main crutch. Horn of The Rhino walks a fine line.

I don't have much more to say about Horn of the Rhino or their album Weight Of Coronation that hasn't been said. It's decent doom metal, but it's not great. They dance around different sub-genres and styles, but never letting any of them evolve into what it could be. I'm not in a real rush to hear Rhino's other albums, but at the same time I won't shy away from them, they are just a band that is good for a listen, but not something I'm ever going to love. Facts are facts.