Nails – Every Bridge Burning (Review)

This is the third album from Nails, a grindcore band from the US.

There are a fair few albums being released in 2024 that are hotly anticipated, including some from bands that haven’t released anything for a while. For me, near the top of that list is Every Bridge Burning by Nails. 2016’s You Will Never Be One of Us was a grindcore/powerviolence/hardcore monster, so this new record has a lot to live up to.

With a new lineup and an expansion to four members, (including a guitarist from Ulthar/ex-Vastum), Nails bring us ten new songs to get demolished by – 18 minutes of material. As they have always been, Nails are all about sonic extremity and intense aggression. However, unlike many ostensibly similar bands, Nails have always had the ability to channel these violent tendencies into songs that hit hard.

Every Bridge Burning is a tight ball of ferocious energy. The lethal riffs bludgeon and crush, while the punishing drums simply destroy everything. It’s an explosive cocktail of vicious blasting and murderous groove, all tied together with venomous vocals that sound more acidic than ever.
The songs are heavy and brutal, but benefit from the sort of dynamic songwriting that just makes you want to MOVE AND MOVE HARD. This type of thing is obviously destined for the live environment and to fuel gym workouts, but is of sufficiently high quality that it’s great for any occasion. Walk in the park? Nails. Trip to the shops? Nails. Planning a wedding? Nails. Deathbed confessions? Nails.

Basically, although it has been eight years since their last album, it’s like Nails have never been away. Yes, the band have broadened their sound in places – you can hear influences from Converge, Motörhead, speed metal, and more, in places – but ultimately this is a Nails record, (with a bit more of a metallic edge), and it’s as brutally nasty as you’d expect it to be. These extra flavours simply make Every Bridge Burning all the tastier and more satisfying.

Savage and unforgiving, Every Bridge Burning is the sound of a band returning to do what they do best like the last eight years didn’t happen.

Essential listening.