"I came up from below when the she-wolf howled.."

With a worldwide audience, there will never be a unanimous vote on anything. Everyone has 2 pennies to spend and the opinions to back them up. I kept this in mind while i typed out my first piece on the song "Black Thunder" by the band Doomriders. Upon further research I deducted that those who had heard the band either really loved them, or thought they were complete trash. I read through some of the reviews and somewhat related to both stances. I found that quite a few of my exact sentiments were echoed by my brethren across the web, such as "..they kick out a high-octane dose of doom-flavored uptempo rock, with just enough hardcore and punk thrown in to give it a racy edge. This isn't your older brother's spandex-clad '80s metal -- it's the down 'n' dirty stuff that forgoes image for sound." and i couldn't agree more. Its solid, abrasive, filthy, and it's definitely not your fathers old song-and-dance routine.
A few of the naysayers state "the vocals are often overwhelmed by the sheer mass of the band’s sound." I can agree with this to some extent (given that the vocals can't often be understood so much as heard), but is that not also part of what makes the song unique? Like a reanimated body struggling to free itself from the fertile graveyard soil, a booming voice and crashing music in constant tug-of-war for your ears. It seems only fitting that such a loud band have a loud vocalist to keep the order. In an interview, front man/guitarist Nate Newton said "Too many bands try to get a "perfect" production where it sounds like music played by robots. We wanted it to sound live and real." Especially with this style of music, during a live show, the singer can't always be heard over the sound.
Despite the either love/hate appeal of Doomriders (being as there doesn't seem to be an in-between with most fans), i believe both sides can agree that there is some underlying method to their doom. And you can still find me among the writhing mobs afront their stage.

"..and the night gave birth to her only child."

The agonizing and tortured howl of a six-string rings out, only slightly muffled by a bass line so dirty that mud seems to seep from it with every note. Incessant swing drums fill the already stagnant air with a feeling of pure restlessness, driving you to get up and move alongside the chorus of cries from the distance. All of the bars seem flawed or disoriented, yet somewhat strung quaintly together with the ever-deepening growls of the beasts before you.
"Black Thunder" by Doomriders is one of those songs you scream to in your vehicle and regret the next morning when you can no longer speak. A sound i have been heard as saying "located so far south, it's encased in magma." It ranks highly amongst my library of "feel-good" pieces i would definitely keep on an Ipod. Since my introduction to Doomriders a few years back, I've found very few bands i can even hold in comparison. And it takes uniquity to capture my mind with the imagery and lyrics (both on the album cover and in my own head) as they did. Painting a picture of the birth of a creature, servant of no one, living amongst the storm clouds and growing to become a bringer of pestilence to a land unknown. Being feared by most, yet adored by the diabolical few who dare to call on him. I consider this one of my personal proofs of beauty in discord, that something fascinating can be concocted even when all it's ingredients are chaotic. My only suggestion for first time listeners is to keep a lyric book handy (if you're a stickler for the knowledge as I am), as not all words are as audible as the others. Once you can match up the music to the disgruntled vocabulary, i can only hope you would be as hooked to it as i am.