It's kind of entertaining to think that Alexis Krauss, the singer of Sleigh Bells, used to be a school teacher. Apparently she was also in some teen pop group, too. That all changed when she dined with her mom at Miss Favela in Williamsburg and Derek Miller waited on the two of them. The rest is history as they say. Miller and Krauss went on to form Sleigh Bells and release the pounding, over-driven mid-range masterpiece, Treats. After winning scores of fans and playing increasingly larger venues, the duo returns to the recorded medium with Reign Of Terror. I can't tell if the title is an ode to Slayer's masterful Reign In Blood but the metal is definitely present. From the outset it's clear that the guitar is going to dominate this record. With opener "True Shred Guitar" coming on as some sort of mission statement the stage is set. The sound is visceral, instantaneous and physical. As they finally reach the arena with the "We Will Rock You" stomp of "Crush" it becomes apparent where their sights are set. However, Sleigh Bells are cool and calculated about their project. From the blood stained Keds on the cover to the perfectly chugging guitars contained within, you can tell the duo cares about how the whole affair is going to be received. And all of that effort proves to be more than worth it. Gatefold LP with nine unique insert art pieces.

• Music Label: Mom + Pop 2012

reviewed by Michu Meszaros 03/2012