Charger – ‘Warhorse’ (Pirates Press Records)

Charger – ‘Warhorse’ (Pirates Press Records)

Having initially seen large numbers of Charger T shirts at punk shows here in the UK, before checking out their debut 7 track EP/mini album released back in 2019, and thinking it was pretty damn decent,  I can honestly say that I never realised that Rancid’s Matt Freeman, along with Jason Willer (from Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine), and Andrew McGee (from Wired All Wrong) were the people responsible for conjuring up the no-nonsense metal onslaught that the band specialise in.

I mean, I know Lars Frederiksen has dabbled with the odd AC/DC/Rose Tattoo riff over the years with The Old Firm Casuals, but Charger are full-on “rock out, with your cock out” (if you know, you know) heavy metal, specialising in the type of metal Hell’s Headbangers would have (dismembered?) kittens over, so perhaps that’s what initially threw me. Although knowing who is behind the unholy (yet rather splendid) racket Charger produce is neither here nor there at the end of the day, because if you like early ‘80s metal (think Motorhead, think Anvil, think early Tank and think Chariot) then you are going to absolutely love the band’s 11 track full length debut album, ‘Warhorse’.

“Fast and frantic” is the default setting for Charger, and for most of this record I’m in serious danger of having the worst case of headbanger’s neck I’ve had since the Youth Club Discos of my early teens. Tracks like opener ‘Devastator’, ‘Will To Survive’ and ‘Running Out Of Time’ simply thunder along, middle finger in the air and taking no prisoners in the process. Elsewhere there’s a whiff of early ‘80s Saxon in the riff that introduces ‘Rolling Through the Night’ and just a hint of Nashville Pussy at their dirtiest during ‘Stand Fight or Die’, all custom built to soundtrack your wildest of parties.

Its only when Charger switch direction slightly, venturing more into the dungeons and dragons world of metal, via album closer ‘Sword Of Dio’ and (with the aid of the air raid siren guest vocals of Jake Nunn from Hell Fire) on ‘Summon The Demon’ that I find myself drifting off. It’s not that the tracks are bad you understand, it’s just I’m not really a huge fan of that metal sub-genre, and I’d much rather have preferred to have heard a few more four to the floor barnstormers along the lines of ‘Forsaken Soul’ or the Motorhead chug-a-thon of ‘Black Motor’ instead.

Released on multiple formats on 18th March 2022 via Pirate’s Press Records, ‘Warhorse’ is a fierce slice of metal and perhaps one of the most radical sounding Rancid associated side-projects to date. Now someone get Charger out on the road with Midnight and give us THE metal gig of 2022.       

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Author: Johnny Hayward

Charger – Charger (Pirates Press Records)

Charger – Charger (Pirates Press Records)

Out and out heavy fucking metal. No bullshit, no fuckin’ around just heads down Hard rockin’ noise in the tradition of heavyweights Motorhead and early Sabbath. But and that’s a big but this is the creation of a pair of punks.  Released early summer this seven-track slab of vinyl is an absolute blast.  From The opener ‘Crackdown’ to the final distorted fade out of ‘Dragdown’, this is something of a throwback and the best old school heavy metal, hard-rockin’ record you’ll hear in a while.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Satanic Overlords album that breathed new life into a tired and on its knees genre of music and like London busses as soon as one arrives another isn’t far behind and thankfully Charger don’t so much as open the door and walk through they blow it clean off the hinges. I guess having their “day Jobs” in other bands its a chance for them to just do something for pure enjoyment without too much pressure for it to be something to make ends meet and the fact they set it all up to have fun and enjoy the songs it shines through in the record that they love turning things up and just making an absolute racket because they love it and nothing else like I said no bullshit and nobody to please except themselves.

Like a Charger ‘Crackdown’ is a muscle car with plenty of punch don’t get in the way or you’ll get mowed down its got the hammer down on the drums and that Freeman bass rattle is a killer combination. sure its got plenty of Motorhead happening but it’s just picked up the torch and is traveling at speed with it. the playing as you can imagine is exceptional you can raise the horns kids as this is how to play heavy metal.

Its not about playing a varied assault on the genre remember it started as some fun between mates but I suspect once the music took hold they were breathing fire and wearing spandex with their gauntlets and denim cut-offs.  ‘Victim’ rattles along with some great interplay between bass and the guitar as they reach the chorus.  unlike a lot of their peers in this genre this trio don’t let any tune overstay its welcome and as soon as Freeman has finished his bass workout on ‘Damage’ and the Sabbath wave washes over us all the albums longest song clocks in at a progressive sub four minutes.

Pedal to the metal for ‘All Kings Must Die’ that get turned up a notch or two as we ‘Pray For Light’ as we head into the home straight theres still time for some fist-pumping as ‘Fall Out’ is like a tribute to Neat records wrapped up a West Coast minute. It’s almost a pity that Sounds magazine isn’t still with us to report on this one but a top tune all the same.

To finish I did wonder if there would be a little bit of Maiden happening and ‘Dragdown’ is it.  With a tip of the hat to DiAnno era Maiden Charger know what to do and with a familiar gallop it’s like Burr, Stratton and DiAnno have found their spiritual brother in 2019.

What a refreshing take on a tired genre Charger is a blast, a kick up the backside, twenty minutes of unbridled fun so strap on the bullet belts and let’s get ready to Rock!

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Author: Dom Daley