Back Breaker [Slimline] (CD - 2008)

On 2008's BACK BREAKER, its first outing for Solid State Records, the Christian metal ensemble the Showdown offers up a fierce set of songs built, oddly enough, around Greek mythology. Working in the vein of Disturbed and Shadows Fall, the Tennessee-based act is in fine fighting form on such hard-hitting tunes as the title track and "I Am Vengeance."

On the third full-length by the Showdown, 2008's Back Breaker, the fun-lovin' lads from Tennessee add some mythology to their metal, as each of the album's 11 tracks goes by two titles -- one that is straight out of Greek mythology, and another that is much more of the metal variety. Musically, the band still touches upon all the prerequisites of most up-and-coming metal bands roaming the earth circa the early 21st century -- Iron Maiden-like guitar bits, Metallica's chug-chug riffery, Pantera-esque shouted vocals, etc. Back Breaker is one fierce beast from start to finish, especially on such brutal selections as "[Hephaestus] The Hammer of the Gods," "[Achilles] The Backbreaker," and "[Aries] I Am Vengeance." There may not be a lot to musically differentiate this quartet from the rest of the metal pack, but Back Breaker does certainly succeed in capturing the roaring power of the Showdown. ~ Greg Prato minimize