Belgian five-piece Bark probably has been gaining ground in the scene thanks to guitarist Martin Furia’s other activities in thrash mainstays Destruction. For those unaware, the group started in 2014, bouncing around between smaller labels and independent releases – developing an EP and three albums in that span. With Rambler of Aeons in 2022, they would sign with Listenable Records to gain more traction in the scene. Which means The Time Has Come, their fifth full-length, has solid footing to amass more followers to the death meets groove metal / rock ‘n’ roll cause.
As expected, you won’t waste time setting the record up with a superfluous, moody instrumental piece that tries to set the atmosphere. Opener “Negativist” instead roars like a pack of wolves determined to tear others into submission, the fierce vocals and steamrolling low-tuned riffs perfect for crossover appeal – sitting in that vortex where the Cro Mags, Dismember, and Sepultura collide. The subsequent “Shaman” has a mid-tempo, crunchy feel, the bass work of Jorn Van der Straeten rattling bones as the simpler drumming Ward Van der Straeten provides key tempo tapping magic. The stop / start action from the guitars to the rhythm section carries decades of seasoning in terms of approach as well as execution – often allowing singer Ron Bruynseels the chance to simmer in angst, channeling a mix of Max Calavera, Robb Flynn, and Entombed when hearing his relentless delivery.
When the band turn up the afterburners for “Whisky Rivers”, you get the sense that the go for broke aggression, tenacious riffing, and d-beat meets chugging transitions relive a period of these musicians’ youth when artists like Motörhead or early Metallica captivated their stereos. Even the lead breaks contain this frantic, almost lunacy aspect where you feel things could go off the rails at any moment. The employment of death, groove, and rock aspects in the Bark metal playbook ensures an approach that refuses to stay stagnant – “Wanted Man” and “Lord of the Skies” two examples containing back half hooks galore, the latter embracing a bit more of a Viking/cultural appeal in the chord progressions that embrace dynamic appeal.
Only a third of the tracks hit above four-minutes (the longest 4:07 to be exact), proving Bark are tidy and focused – accomplishing in these arrangements an ‘all killer/less filler’ mentality. Relatable topics of violence, inner turmoil, searching for light through the darkness that surrounds us, The Time Has Come is an ideal soundtrack for those looking for groovy death in a rock ‘n’ roll meets dirty metal context. Another blue-collar band that may not necessarily be setting the world ablaze from an originality standpoint – but the songs certainly get the job done.