The Showdown
Temptation Come My Way

By Andrew F.

Mono Vs. Stereo, February2007
Style: Southern Metal
Website: www.myspace.com/theshowdown
Rating: 4.5/5

Temptation Come My Way is a very different endeavor than The Showdown's debut, A Chorus of Obliteration in almost every way. Chorus sported wicked guitar riffs, throat-shredding vocals, and tales of good and evil; Temptation Come My Way steps in a more classic rock direction, along with heavy metal influences and some cowbell! Yes that's right I said cowbell! So I'm sure you're asking, "Are the Showdown sell outs?!?" or "Is this even the same band????"  Well just sit back and read my review and decide for yourself…

Temptation Come My Way is chock full of everything I love about metal: angry, commanding vocals, killer guitar riffs and solos, attitude, and a great "I don't care what you think, I am who I am" feel. The album channels classic metal and rock and wears its influences on its sleeve. "Fanatics and Whores", "Six Feet Under", and the title track all bear distinct similarities to Black Album-era Metallica and Pantera; "Spitting in the Wind" and "Forget My Name" resemble the arena rock of the 80s. Heck, they even threw in a cover of the Kansas classic, "Carry On Wayward Son". Yes, it's not terribly original, and yes, it's at times a little cheesy, but it's still a very fun album to crank up in the car on the highway, or to go for a run with. There are no faulty songs. Each is pulled off with precision and grace. There is an epic guitar solo thrown in on every song, and they all show off the true technical and musical talent of these guys. The drumming is good, although the absence of Andrew Hall is severely missed. He really added to Showdown's epic sound, and I hope to see him come back in the future. "Breath of the Swamp" features some heavier, thrashing riffs more reminiscent of A Chorus of Obliteration, as well as some growls to remind you they are still a metal band at heart despite all of the nostalgia. The only song that falters a bit is the cover of "Carry On Wayward Son". Although they perform the song just like the original, it just sounds at times too heavy and distorted for the kind of song it is.

As far as vocals go, David Bunton practically channels James Hetfield (Metallica) throughout the whole album. His voice is loud, commanding,
sneering and at times, almost sinister. He growls out "oh yeah" after every line, brings in the rest of the band for some gang vocals, and caps it all off with a few of his signature death metal grunts on "Death Finds Us Breathing" and "Breath of the Swamp". Lyrically, the band takes on a little more vague approach this time around. Topics include hypocrites, dealing with temptation, and our constant struggle to do the right thing, and how we often fail to do it. Mixed in with these issues are a couple of "fun" lyrics where the band takes some time to tell about how awesome they are on "Forget My Name". It is not done in a prideful, arrogant way, and almost comes off as rather ridiculous, but not horribly annoying.

If you enjoy old-school rock and metal, then I highly recommend picking this up. You may laugh, you may cry, or you can be like me, and enjoy it for what it's worth.