| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: Chris Dickens |
| Record Label: Independent | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2023 | Artist Website: Mission Of One |
| Tracks: 10 | Rating: 80% |
| Running Time: |
Independent November of 2023 fifth Mission Of One album Kill The Cobra aligns old school metal sensibilities with aspects of straightforward hard rock and blues-rock. The one-man band project of Watertown, Tennessee based vocalist, bassist and guitarist Chris Dickens, Mission Of One was last heard from in 2013 with fourth full length Hostile To The Gospel, an 85% Angelic Warlord graded work ‘(interwoven) with catchy hooks and riffs (certain) to draw in on first listen’ but ‘(produced) with what amounts an immense guitar sound’. Kill The Cobra picks up where Hostile To The Gospel leaves off with a similar catchy refrain and riff proclivity in that its material brings the staying power to remain with you on repeat play, while also emphasizing the type of dominant guitar production one expects of the metal meets hard rock genres.
Yet, there is a blues based factor to Mission Of One that cannot be denied, referencing Dickens’ blues rock project Big Chris & D’Bare Bones Band and its pair of albums When Your Time Comes (85% Angelic Warlord review) and Man Overboard (80% review) from 2016 and 2018, respectively. It begins with artists natural blues soaked vocals, mid-ranged and heartfelt with an at times earthy and gravelly proclivity but at others smooth and resounding in trending the baritone. It also encompasses the occasional shuffling low-end bass presence not to mention gritty and grainy rhythm guitar propensities to go in hand. Lead guitar aligns with a periodic bluesy demeanor, noting guest guitarists Kevin Hasselquist of Sardis (five songs), Nashville based pastor Bo Fawbush (three songs) and John Evans of Evans & Stokes (two songs).
Initial cut “Cordelia” embodies everything that works with Kill The Cobra. Immediate impression are the opening in your face guitars, which maintain a plundering presence songs length, in addition to the raw as it gets (in a positive sense) production, aligning with the metal meets hard rock qualities at hand. Dickens shines vocally in lowering his register in revealing some of those baritone qualities. Song is about a streetwise girl who in the end finds redemption:
On those dirty city streets, her evils were well known
Running drugs & pimping girls all from her family home
Whatever ills she did, her kids would always see
She raised them to be like her--oh, what a tragedy
That little church kept praying despite her rants and ravings
That God would change her heart
With the Holy Spirit’s power, she knew it was the hour
She prayed for a brand new start…
“Watch Your Mouth” slows impetus in ominous, mid-paced fashion. A hint of the doom-like underlines the initial instrumental seconds, with catchy metal placed guitars soon taking over and pensively leading through the boundless verse sections on the way to the focused refrain ending to an extreme growl. Instrumental run slows for a stretch of flashy guitar leads. As its title implies, “Watch Your Mouth” focuses on the tongue:
Watch your mouth--So it can't drag others down
Tame your tongue--Keep it from running around
Watch your mouth--You sound like clanging bells
Tame your tongue--It's set on fire by Hell
Let your words be seasoned with a dash of grace
Don't even let coarse joking fall outta your face
Build others up in what you say and do
Let love & kindness be the seeds that you strew
“I’m Such A Fool” ensues as a straightforward, no frills hard rocker. Demeanor is bare bones but not basic or simple, as a bluesy edge underpinned by rolling bass holds sway over a mid-tempo environment speaking of classic Resurrection Band. Lead guitar fittingly draws upon a bluesy basis. Musically, it proves fun and joyous but lyrically is dead serious in drawing upon Romans 7:
I seem to do wrong when I want to do right
I beg for forgiveness on my bed every night
Then I fall again with each waking breath
Who is gonna save me from this body of death?
A War is raging so deep down inside
My flesh and my spirit are like Jekyll and Hyde
I read God’s word; my heart burns like a fire
But soon I’m dragged away by my selfish desires
I identify with “Gotta Get Away” as a companion track to “I’m Such A Fool” from taking a similar straight on hard rock heading. It ups tempo, however, to a more forward direction, buoyant and fast paced with a spirited allure, while retaining the bluesy sentiments, again, noting the earthy bass and guitar propensities. In the end another fun and lively song in which to listen.
A return to darker territory with “Murder Begins In The Heart”. The song ups heaviness as added layers of angst imbue the guitar tones but does not back from the listenable appeal, as layered vocal melodies adorn the twice repeated chorus. Upshot is a freight train like momentum adorning one of albums heaviest and most meaningful tracks (if someone had reached out to a troubled individual tragedy might have been averted):
“Alma Mater” takes a worshipful melodic hard rock heading. It impresses as a hymn placed to metal music - a very good thing! - in upholding moments ranging from relaxed and refined to others reflecting a direct tone as demeanor mirrors the assertive. Albums best stretch of shred lead guitar rounds things out.
“Storytime In America” embodies traditional metal: guitars crunch with authority, drums project of the plundering and vocals convey start aggression. The Mission Of One catchy proclivity rises to the forefront in the process. Lyrically, I am reminded of classic Resurrection Band tune “American Dream” from taking a high level overview of American society:
We’ve got fake news on the TV screen
Telling us what we can say and think
The powers that be fear the thinking man
Indoctrination is the master plan
They ban our books and rewrite history
Chipping away at our freedom of speech
The evening news sells the Leftist’s lies
Until we’ve all been desensitized!
It’s Storytime… in America
Storytime… in America
The truth has fallen in our streets
We’ve ground it to dust beneath our feet
‘Cause it’s storytime… in America!
The old school metal themes carry over to “Kill The Cobra”. Am I out of line to suggest the hammering guitars to start bring to mind Quiet Riot’s “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)”? Moving forward albums title track assaults with its acerbic nature (guitars maintain the brusque mentality) but also draws in with its non-stop hooks (manner in which the ‘kill the cobra’ title is repeated speaks of the derisive). Lyrics are self-explanatory:
He tempted Eve in the garden
The serpent fed her a pack of lies
He twisted up what God had spoken
With a silver tongue, he hypnotized
They ate the fruit and eyes were opened
Their nakedness and shame they could not hide
So God removed them from His presence
The fate of that snake was prophesied.
“He will crush your head, but you will strike His heel.”
Under God’s own judgment; in pain, Satan will squeal!
“The Congregation” represents a pensive, thought provoking cut musically and lyrically. In terms of former, it plods slowly with trudging riffs and stark vocals aligning with the threatening scene. Song proves more mid-paced as opposed to doom-like but not repetitious all the same (I am reminded somewhat of Alice Cooper). From standpoint of latter, it centers- around members of a church attending the funeral of a former parishioner but they fail to realize they are the ones actually dead:
Then one sad day, Bro. Johnson died
A sudden heart attack took him by surprise
They gathered at the church like so many times before
To say their last farewell to a friend they’d see no more
The preacher cleared his throat but never shed a tear
And said, “This corpse has been a member here for 50 years!”
Not knowing that no truer words could ever have been said
Unable in their blindness to see that they were dead…
After three songs on the deliberate side, Kill The Cobra ends on an upbeat note with the celebratory “We’re Gonna Rock”. Aptly entitled, it does exactly that with an uplifting tempo and non-stop verve to see eighties commercial metal hooks, anthem-like refrain and shredding lead guitar coalesce. I wish the album had a few more up-tempo cuts such as this.
Kill The Cobra proves an at times dark and foreboding album in terms of musical direction and lyrical themes. Yet, it gets the job done with an inviting element despise the somber mood and themes, particularly in light of dealing with subjects that needs to be addressed (the tongue, reaching out to others, decision making and what it means to be a church body). That said album also presents with its share of lighters moments to contrast with the darker scene. All things considered, I appreciate the olds school feel to production and the choice selection of guest lead guitarists. For fans of all things eighties metal and hard rock, Kill The Cobra fits the bill.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Cordelia” (4:12), “Watch Your Mouth” (4:58), “I’m Such A Fool” (4:08), “Gotta Get Away” (3:39), “Murder Begins In The Heart” (4:13), “Alma Mater” (4:26), “Storytime In America” (4:03), “Kill The Cobra” (3:58), “The Congregation” (4:25), “We’re Gonna Rock” (4:00)
Musicians
Chris Dickens - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar and Bass
Kevin Hasselquist - Lead Guitar
Bo Fawbush - Lead Guitar
John Evans - Lead Guitar
