Don’t allow the Faces-esque silliness on “Drink” spoil the venomous stew of metal the UK’s Viking Skull concocts on GLOOM DOOM HEARTACHE & WHISKEY. This nine-track effort amply borrows the firepower from Motorhead, Black Sabbath, and AC/DC to meld a three-pronged metal assault that mercilessly kicks you in the gut with a barrage of burly grooves (“Start A War,” “Shot Down”). There’s also a prominent punk metal vibe permeating through the disc that wouldn’t sound out of place from Danzig, Alabama Thunderpussy, Warrior Soul (“In for the Kill”) or Queens of the Stone Age (“Double or Quits”), assisting in shaping this band’s soulful sound that goes beyond fuzzy bass riffs and gravel-throated vocals. Truly incensing a sense of reckless abandon unheard since Guns ‘N Roses emerged from the gutter, Viking Skull keeps their end of the bargain with the devil by pumping out simple and subtle meat and potatoes metal that’s lean and ready for a scuffle. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com -Mike SOS