Richard HolmesSong
Law Unto Myself
Artist
Desert Storm
Desert Storm backstory
Oxford’s dreaming spires of aren’t usually associated with sludge metal. But over the last 19 years, Desert Storm have been busy pulling the city into the mire.
Criminally underrated and often overlooked, the band have gifted us six albums packed with titanic fretwork, and 2023’s expansive, imaginative Death Rattle was a particular highlight.
The boys will soon be following that up this year with Buried Under The Weight Of Reason, which was recorded at Woodworm Studios in Oxfordshire and mixed/mastered by Joe Clayton of Pijn at Nø Studio.
Law Unto Myself is the latest taste of that new record, following the release of Shamanic Echoes and Woodsman.
In the band’s own words
 “Law Unto Myself is a groove-driven blast of raw and unfiltered rock’n’roll defiance. Rejecting authoritarian control and institutional power, pushing back against obedience enforced through fear. Rooted in underground and anarchic spirit, a refusal to submit and a demand for personal sovereignty. Direct, confrontational, and unapologetic.”
The verdict on Law Unto Myself
Have Desert Storm turned into a hardcore band?
Not quite.
But anyone expecting the proggy, trippy textures of the Death Rattle album, or indeed, Woodsman, might be in for a shock.
This is one of the most abrasive tunes this quartet have ever written. The opening riff feels like a mighty kick in the guts. Vocalist Matthew Ryan sounds extremely pissed off. The song snaps and snarls like an angry rottweiler. But in true DS fashion, there’s an immense groove to hook you in.
So good, it should be illegal…
What’s next for Desert Storm?
Buried Under The Weight Of Reason is set for a March 6 release on Heavy Psych Sounds. You can catch them at Heavy Psych Sounds Fest Switzerland, which takes place on May 15-16.
Desert Storm photo by Tim Finch.