Triggerman have always been known for bringing the riffs, but can they sustain that momentum all the way through to their epically named 3 track EP ‘Origins, Travelers & Rock & Roll Heaven’? There’s only one way to find out and that is to dive in head first, devil horns at the ready.
We kick off with Origin of Man a track exploring the origins of man – there’s Christian theory, Darwin’s theory and of course Triggerman’s theory- that we’re all aliens. I like this theory, although I’m not sure what research they’ve taken up to come to these conclusions. However, any theory that is delivered in this wonderfully chuggy, guttural fashion is okay by me. There’s even time for a screaming solo near the end.
Next up is The Lazarushian which begins with guitars coming in like waves crashing against a cliff and barely lets up from there. There’s a fantastic driving force to this song, a real sense of motion that comes with the crunchy licks. This compliments the tales of resurgence that Bap (vocals) is telling with the repeated phrases at the end, finishing with the bold cry of “Wake up man, wake up man COME BACK FROM THE DEAD”.
We come to the end of our 3 part story with Valhalla, a celebration track and definitely one for the party playlist. Things get a bit funkier here taking on a more groove metal style that would sit nicely with the likes of CLUTCH. A nice breakdown in the middle makes way for what will surely be a favourite at live gigs as Bap shouts “IN THE HALLS OF VALHALLA” before launching into a largely instrumental second half that allows for a great appreciation of just how tight these guys play together, perfectly synced and complimenting each other nicely.
This EP may only be 3 songs but it does take us on a journey from pre-birth to after-death. It makes you wonder what these guys could do with this concept over a whole album. Rest assured the riffs are strong, as Triggerman rarely stray too far from what brought them to the dance, sometimes that’s welcome, sometimes not. This is one of those times that it is – so just jump in and wallow in the Rock & Roll. You can buy the EP on Amazon right here.
