Review of "We Choose to Walk This Path" by Quake the Earth

Buy this album

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/we-choose-to-walk-this-path/id570158279 (iTunes)

http://amzn.to/X0ev7a (MP3)

Website

http://www.quaketheearth.com

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/quaketheearth

1. The Predator

2. We Own the Streets

3. The Unknown

4. Finger on the Trigger

5. We Choose to Walk This Path

6. From This Day to Last Day

7. We Are the Enemy

8. Brand New Day

9. There Mofos

10. No Man is Bigger Than a Bodybag

11. Crusader

12. Mark of Deception

13. Red And White

14. Punainen hevonen

Quake the Earth's debut album «We Choose to Walk This Path» hits you like a swing from a baseball bat. The group has joined forces with Inverse Records and the result of that collaboration is a strong hardcore metal record.

QtE was founded in Oulu, Finland in 2010 on the ruins of three groups which had either disbanded or were facing an uncertain future. The band therefore consists of experienced musicians who know how to handle their instruments. Add the brutal vocals of singer Aki Häkkinen and you have an idea of how solidly constructed their debut is.

«We Choose to Walk This Path» is definitely worth checking out if bands like Hatebreed, Pantera and Lamb of God please your ears.

This album starts off with “The Predator” and I really dig the guitars on this. With great chugs and old school heavy metal jams. The vocals are very impressive with a mix of new growls and old style screams. The next track, “We Own the Streets,” flowed great from track prior. It is a very thrashy but melodic feeling track and there are some hardcore aspects in this track but they are hardly noticeable. Bringing a great mix of heavy powerful riffs and laid back melodic pieces, is “The Unknown.” The vocals felt the same way and this track is a great one for bass riffs. “Finger on the Trigger” is a very moshtastic track and makes you want to dominate a pit. The riffs are really in your face and are really amazing, even the melodic parts are great. With an interesting switch in delivery, the album title track, “We Choose to Walk This Path,” was very technical death metal in some parts. The way Quake the Earth blend genres is extremely talented.

The guitars riffs on the track, “From This Day to Last Day,” are incredible and very catchy, even the bass has its moments. It is a very heavy track with no melodic break which was great, as well as an awesome breakdown at the end. “We Are the Enemy” is a short mellow track, with great lead guitars and an awesome inspirational spoken word piece. Another short track follows in the form of “Brand New Day.” It isn’t mellow though and is very in your face with ear pounding drums and riffs. It was a brutal track and is definitely one of the heaviest on the album. Bringing a really badass sound is the next track, “There Mofos.” The way the guitars flowed really well and the bass riffs alongside the rhythm guitar was great. I got a real heavy, in your face thrash feel from the drums and guitars on “No Man is Bigger Than a Bodybag.” The breakdown was brutal as well and this is a great track to punch people in the face to.

The double kicks and guitars sounded dirty together in “Crusader,” and the lead on top of the rhythm sounded nice as well. It seems Quake the Earth hid all their breakdowns for the last half of the album. “Mark of Deception” is another good track to mosh to with heavy riffs the whole way through, as well as groovy bass riffs. If “Red And White” is an anthem for Canada, I’d totally be cool with it. It is a mostly mellow track but it’s really great and has some heavy breaks. The last track is entitled “Punainen hevonen,” meaning Red Horse in Finnish. This is a mellow instrumental, with enjoyable and relaxing lead guitar pieces and the solo was great as well. This was an awesome way to end the album with great guitar playing.

Quake the Earth is a very great mix of heavy thrash and catchy melodic pieces. This being their debut album, the fact there is fourteen tracks is amazing. This fact makes me happy because all of the tracks are exceptional in their own right. Aki Häkkinen is very impressive on vocals and reminds me very much so of Phil Anselmo in his styling. Juhani Lahdenperä and Jani Kakko bring incredible guitars with great leads and even some technical riffs. Sami Knuutinen brings ever apparent bass riffs that are groovy and catchy and Aleksi Heiskanen is quite the beast on drums. These guy are really great and I recommend picking up this album and support them as they release their debut album.