Album Review: Orange Goblin - "Back From the Abyss"

Orange Goblin have toiled in the metal circuit for a long time, longer than most suspect. It’s coming up on twenty years since their debut under the name “Our Haunted Kingdom” on a split EP with Electric Wizard in 1996. In that time, singer Ben Ward, a larger than life figure who was once described on these pages as a combination of Ozzy Osbourne and Al Snow, has captained his band, which has much the same lineup as ever, through the dark corners of metal’s underground and established a solid, respected career. The band’s work-a-day blue collar ethic extends to their music, culminating in this new record of blues-based dirty metal, “Back From the Abyss.”

Locating and discerning the inspirations of Orange Goblin is hardly a difficult exercise. “Devil’s Whip” is a great little rebellion-infused metal song, but boy does it sound an awful lot like Motörhead’s “Iron Fist.” It’s similar for “Bloodzilla,” a fun romp on the album’s back half that is similarly reminiscent of the early works of Judas Priest, combined with just a dash of England’s rich punk history. It’s that kind of synthesis of metal’s backstory that characterizes much of the Orange Goblin’s music, making them concurrently a nostalgia act and a fresh face.

The old-school guitar tone and general fuzziness of album opener “Sabbath Hex” is a well-constructed beginning to “Back From the Abyss” and speaks to the vitality of the music within. It’s coupled with an easy sing-along message and a tangible swagger that’s sure to feed mosh pits worldwide. This is a veteran song by a veteran band who knows how to deliver what fans want. Moments like this dot the entire length of “Back From the Abyss,” again and again imparting smooth metal goodness to the listener.

Despite all those accolades, where Orange Goblin succeeds best is in presenting their own relaxed but super-heavy take on the entire proceeding. There’s an infectiousness buried within “Heavy Lies the Crown” that causes instinctive head-bobbing and contains all the natural elements of distilled metal as their most pure. This is guitar, bass drum and (gang) vocal that coalesce into a wonderfully accessible sing along with an unforgettable hook chorus.

While the general experience of “Back From the Abyss” is both enjoyable and rewarding, we would be remiss not to mention that Orange Goblin falls somewhat into the same pothole that plagues many metal bands from the Isles, including most recently Electric Wizard. British metal, for whatever reason and with only rare exception, developed to a certain point and then all evolution ceased. So while this record channels the heady days of British metal from yore, it also doesn’t expand the principles that those bands laid down. There’s an awful lot of Judas Priest, Budgie and Motörhead here, all wrapped up in that specific sense that everyone is an extension of Black Sabbath. None of that is a bad thing, those are all fine influences, but it’s the steadfast dedication to that blueprint that makes it hard to put Orange Goblin on the same plane with current and former luminaries like Clutch, The Sword or Monster Magnet.

All that said, don’t let it stop you from checking out “Back From the Abyss.” This is a truly enjoyable and doggedly honest record from veterans who have found their groove and presented a wonderfully easy to digest group of songs. Not every record has to be transformative to be great, and “Back From the Abyss” is a great record.