Orange Goblin

Orange Goblin dedicates its latest disc to notorious Hell’s Angel Sonny Barger, an appropriate muse for Coup de Grace‘s petroleum cocktail of biker-from-hell anthems. Too bad the U.K. quintet couldn’t get Barger to guest star; he might’ve livened up the proceedings. Lyrically, OG adheres to the gloom-metal holy trinity of drinking, drugging and women, but it also shows an affinity for the animal kingdom — monkeys, rats and leeches all pop up in song titles. Sonically, the group seems overly enamored of Black Sabbath’s primordial metal sludge. OG is also fond of left-coast stoner metal, something demonstrated by former Kyuss bassist Scott Reeder’s production and a pair of appearances from former Kyuss frontman John Garcia. Unfortunately, neither has much impact, and even the high-speed numbers have an ambivalent, sluggish feel. It’s only on a full-throttle cover of the Misfits’ “We Fight” that OG finally takes flight, but the moment ends quickly, and the band heads straight back to Dronesville. Without a doubt, the best part of Coup is a series of original drawings by Frank Kozik (Pearl Jam, Ice T).